Apple Pie Moonshine
by chele20035
Summary: S2SL 2015 Katniss and Peeta have been asked to be witnesses at a wedding, but what happens after the wedding when they share some moonshine and walkers?
1. Chapter 1

Hello!

This is what I had the pleasure to donate to S2SL. What that is, is a fundraiser many of the writers in this fandom participated in to raise money for childhood cancer. In particular DIPE, diffuse intrinsic poutine glioma. I encourage you to go to to read more about it.

Childhood cancer has touched my life when a dear friend of mine's little one was diagnosed with sacrococcygeal teratoma at two and a half months old. She is now two and half years old and very healthy and very stubborn! She is the reason why I wrote this…

I need to thank sohypothetically for being amazing. She really is. And then the wonderful Norbertsmom for all that she does, even when I think I'm overwhelming her, she doesn't complain at all. I appreciate everything you do ladies.

And now… here is Apple Pie Moonshine…

* * *

 **First grade**

"Pass the glitter."

"You have enough glitter." Katniss replies.

"But Daddy needs more. He always says that the cupcakes I put the most glitter on are the best tasting ones. So, he needs more glitter on his Tine's day card," six- year- old Peeta says.

"Fine," she huffs. She looks at the card she made for her daddy. Katniss picks up the glue and carefully draws a heart with it. Then, oh- so- gently, not at all like Delly who is dumping glitter all over the place, she sprinkles pink and purple glitter. She shakes it like Peeta does so it will spread out.

She sets it aside so it can dry and watches Peeta. He uses his scissors to snip away at several different colors of construction paper. With a flurry of tape, glue and more glitter, he assembles a very colorful bird. He gently set it aside to dry, and Katniss picks up another card to decorate for her mama. She is busy working but continues to watch Peeta, and wonders who the bird is for. She knows that it's not for his mama. She left last year and her mama said that she wasn't coming back, ever.

Katniss finishes up the cards for Mama and Daddy. She even makes one for two- year- old Prim and another for Peeta. She will wait until she gets home to write his name on it so he won't know that it's for him. Soon, Mrs. Trinket tells them to finish up because it's time to go home. Katniss tucks her cards into her backpack and walks out to get on the bus with Peeta.

Peeta brings cupcakes for everyone for Valentine's Day a couple of days later, while Katniss brings chocolate kisses. Everyone is busy putting the cards they have for their classmates into the shoe boxes they decorated last week. Mrs. Trinket has been a teacher long enough to know that they are too excited to do much, so classwork is full of coloring and word searches.

Soon, it's time to open valentines. Katniss grabs her box and goes back to her desk. As soon as she has it open, she sees the bird that Peeta spent so much time on the other day. She holds it up to her heart, and looks across the table to where he watches her. He has the card that she made just for him pressed up against his heart. They smile at each other.

 **Seventh grade**

Katniss fixes the strap of her messenger bag and scowls at the hundreds of vases that fill the middle school lobby. Balloons almost reach the ceiling, not to mention the stuffed animals everywhere. It looks more like a florist than a school. Valentine's Day is ridiculous, Katniss thinks to herself. Over privileged kids asking their parents to send flowers to their stupid middle school boyfriends and girlfriends. It's not like they are going to grow up and get married or anything. Besides, she knows that since Daddy died, she won't be getting any flowers this year. She could buy groceries for her and Prim for six months or longer with the amount of money those flowers represented since Mama isn't going to.

She can't stop the pang of jealously that makes her stomach hurt.

She continues on to her last class. It's art with Mr. Cinna and it's her favorite. It doesn't hurt that Peeta is taking the class too. As soon as she walks in, the many worries of her young life just fade away for the fifty minutes she is in there. She slides into her seat with Peeta following right behind her. They both produce their sketch pads. Mr. Cinna wants them to use the first ten minutes of class to doodle whatever is on their minds as a way to get that stuff out of the way so they can listen. Before she realizes it, Katniss' paper is full of roses and balloons. She quickly turns the page before anyone can see. Despite the fact that Peeta never misses a thing about her, she's hopeful that he might have been too wrapped up in his own drawing.

She feels Peeta's eyes on her book. Before he can say anything, Mrs. Corbin's voice comes over the P.A. "Attention, everyone. This is a list of people who have received flowers today. Teachers, we ask that you allow your students to come and pick up their things now."

Katniss only halfway pays attention until Peeta pokes her in the side when her name is called. She doesn't miss the blush that spreads over his cheeks when his name is called, too.

They walk out together with a nod from Mr. Cinna and make their way down the hall towards the lobby.

"Who sent you flowers?" he asks.

She shrugs. "I have no idea. What about you? Clove?"

"Oh, I hope not! I'm hoping that it's Dad."

"Oh, yeah. Is Clove still saying that she sent you something?

Peeta blushes. "She is. I'll throw it away if the card says that it's from her."

It's a madhouse in the lobby with so many different kids getting their flowers. Katniss walks along the tables, and has to do a double take when the biggest bear with a couple of balloons has her name on it. She blinks fast because it looks like something her dad would have picked out. She retrieves the card and in perfect typed letters, it says, "From someone who loves you more than you know."

She grabs the bear like it's a life preserver and she is drowning. Peeta comes back with a small bear and balloons and nudges her side. "Who sent those?" he asks.

She shrugs and shows him the card. He knows not to say anything when he sees the misty-eyed look on her face. Instead, he throws his arm around her shoulders and they walk back to Mr. Cinna's room together.

 **Present day**

"I can't believe they are doing this," she grumbles, looking out the window at the passing trees.

"What? I thought you said that they are perfect for each other." He holds the steering wheel steady as he goes around the biggest curve in the park.

"That's the scary part. They are." she rolls down the window to help fight the wave of car sickness. "I need to get out of this truck. Are we to the top of Clingman's Dome yet?" The road straightens out, and Katniss breathes a sigh of relief when she sees the rock wall before the turn off.

Peeta grins as he says, "I think your car sickness has gotten worse as you've gotten older."

"Shut up Mellark, and let me the hell out of this truck, please." She opens the door as soon as he stops and breathes in the wonderful, precious cold mountain air. She smiles when her stomach settles down almost immediately.

Katniss still has her eyes closed when she hears Rye's truck pull in behind them. She opens her eyes in time to see her sister slam the door closed and bounce over to her, still wearing the stupid veil that Rue gave her before they left. Katniss can't miss the excited sparkle in Prim's eye. Her stomach twists painfully, and this time it isn't because she is car sick.

"You didn't take your Dramamine," Prim scolds with her hands on her hips.

"I told you, I'm not ready to go to sleep. Are we going to the hotel first or straight to the chapel?"

"Hotel first. We want to change. Did your bring your autumn dress?" Prim wonders.

At this, Katniss finally smiles. "Yes. Just like you asked me to, Little Duck. Come on. Let's go to the bathroom."

They walk down the little hill towards the bathroom, when they hear footsteps behind them. All of a sudden, Prim is lifted, bridal style, and Rye Mellark twirls her around. Their laughter echoes through the hills surrounding them, bringing a smile to their brother's and sister's faces. When Rye gently kisses Prim, Katniss decides to give them some privacy and continues on to the bathroom.

Peeta falls into step beside her. "They are so happy," he whispers.

"They are," she says.

Prim catches up with her in the bathroom. "Do you think we are making a mistake?" Prim asks.

Katniss throws her arms around her neck, and Prim returns the hug. "I understand why you are doing this. It would be hard to have a big to-do with Mama and Graham gone."

Prim's voice is muffled when she says, "Thank you for coming with us. I can't do this without you."

Katniss pulls away so she can give her sister a reassuring smile. "Let's go get you married!"

* * *

Much to Katniss's relief, they finally get to the hotel. She vows to take Dramamine and sleep all the way home. Prim and Rye check in at the desk, and she catches the last part when the clerk says, "You have to understand, this is the middle of October and the height of leaf season. We only have two rooms for you because we only have two rooms vacant and those are only vacant because someone cancelled their reservations."

Prim turns to Katniss and Peeta. "I'm sorry guys. Can you two share a room?"

"Aww, Prim! It's your wedding night. You don't have to spend it with your husband," Peeta teases her.

Prim punches Peeta in the arm and Rye and Katniss laugh. "It's fine. As long as I don't have to get back on that curvy-ass road before tomorrow," Katniss quips.

Rye and the clerk finish the transaction, and he gives Peeta the card for his and Katniss' room. Peeta smirks as he walks by her, flicking her nose with the key card. "Come on roomie. Let's go check out the mini bar."

"Don't you, dare!" Rye scolds after him. "Hey! Just because I'm paying for your room, doesn't mean that you can drink those high- priced little bottles. Besides we're going to McCoy's after the wedding." Rye and Prim catch up to Peeta and Katniss at the elevator.

"What time are we supposed to be at the chapel?"

"Five. That will give us time to change and get over there." The doors open on the tenth floor. Prim and Rye exit after they promise to meet them in the lobby at 4:45. Katniss and Peeta ride to their floor in comfortable silence. The doors open, and Katniss follows Peeta to their room.

Without really paying attention, Katniss sets her bag down on the bed to take her shoes off. Peeta starts cracking up. She looks up in confusion and he motions at the bed. She turns around and sees that she is sitting on a king sized bed. She joins in Peeta's laughter. "I think we got the wrong room."

"Let me call Rye." Peeta reaches for his phone. She slips into the bathroom while Peeta talks on the other side of the door. She can hear Peeta still laughing as she finishes and rejoins him. "All they had available were king sized beds. I guess we have to share."

Katniss looks at the bed. "Well, you should have plenty of room then. You always wiggle too much," she says, laughing when he scowls.

"I do not wiggle too much. Besides we haven't slept in the same bed since the sixth grade."

She rolls her eyes. "Are you going to take a shower?"

She watches him run his fingers through the curls that he always thinks need a trim. She wonders when she will get the nerve to tell him that she loves his curls that way. "I think so. Do you want to go first?"

"No, you go ahead. I showered before we left. I'm just going to freshen my make up and get dressed."

He smiles that smile that has been making her go weak in the knees since she was sixteen. He grabs his bag off of the bed and goes into the bathroom. She breathes a sigh of relief, gets her make up bag, takes it to the vanity beside the bathroom, and smiles when she hears him start to sing, " _Going to the Chapel, and we're gonna get married—"_ She pulls out her brushes, and begins the familiar routine as she gets lost in his voice. His deep baritone wraps around her and makes her feel like it's one of his hugs.

She slips on the orange sundress that her friend and old teacher, Cinna made for her a couple of years ago. He even made an orange sweater to go with it. She dances that weird dance some women do when they put on a dress with a back zipper and forget to make sure someone is close to zip them up. She has her back to the bathroom door when she hears it open. Strong hands that make butterflies dance in her stomach every time they touch her, steady her. He pushes her waist length hair over her shoulder, and finishes the job.

His Carolina blue eyes that she fell in love with over ten years ago look deep into hers after he twirls her to face him. He is so close she can smell the toothpaste on his breath. He smiles in a way that makes her want to kiss him stupid, showing off those dimples that she wants to lick moonshine out of— are his hands tightening on her waist?

Prim's ringtone interrupts her thoughts. She steps back and the spell is broken when his hands let go of her. She answers and Prim asks where they are while she tries to not think about Peeta's touch. "We'll be there in a minute, ok?"

She hangs up, not giving her sister a chance to say anything else. She straightens her dress and turns around to see Peeta looking at her. She brushes her nose. "Do I have something on my nose?"

A slight flush colors his cheeks pink before he admits, "No. It's just you look so beautiful." His voice cracks at the end.

He looks so handsome in his simple jeans and button up shirt. He picks up his blazer at the end of the bed. She puts her phone in her purse, makes sure that she has her wallet, and snaps the clasp. "Well, let's go, Mellark. There are some crazy kids who can't wait to get married and for some weird reason they want us there to watch." She slides her hand into the crook of his arm.

"Do you have the key card?" Peeta asks as he maneuvers them towards the door.

She picks up the extra copy from the table by the door, and slides it in her purse. "Now we are ready."

A nervous but excited Rye exits the elevator, almost knocking them down as they enter. "We are running late. Come on."

They follow him into the elevator, smiling at his excitement. The elevator stops on several floors for other guests. Katniss can't help but enjoy having to get closer to Peeta. He didn't put on the cologne that he sometimes wears, but instead smells like the bakery that he took over a couple of years ago. She breathes him in, trying not to seem like a creeper.

Rye is happily reunited with Prim when the doors open in the lobby. Katniss is stunned momentarily when she sees Prim. "What are you wearing?" Katniss asks.

Prim looks down worriedly, running her hand down, smoothing invisible wrinkles. "Rye found it last week in the attic. It was their grandmother's dress." She smiles up at her future husband. "He had it cleaned and asked me to wear it." She beams at her sister. "Is it amazing? She made it for her wedding when she got married in 1954."

The dress is what one thinks of when they think about the 1950's; it's a lace dress with a skirt that has so many petticoats under it, Katniss can hear the rustle when Prim turns around. A classic, plunging V-neckline that dips in the front and in the back reminds her of old pictures of Jackie Kennedy. The dress is ivory, with simple lace covering it. "It's beautiful. You're beautiful." Katniss pulls her close for a hug.

"You look beautiful, Prim," Peeta says.

Katniss clears her throat to hide her tears. "Are we ready?"

Rye pats his pockets, and smiles when he feels what he must have been looking for. He wraps his arm around Prim's waist and says, "We're ready."

* * *

The chapel is a simple building. They could have walked, since the chapel is only a couple of blocks from the hotel but Prim didn't want to walk that far in her new heels. Katniss and Peeta stand in the back while Prim and Rye talk to the officiant, Mr. Tysinger. They fill out some papers, and then Prim waves them over. "He needs to see your driver's licenses."

Katniss digs hers out, and Peeta pulls out his wallet. Once all of the papers are signed and everything is in order, Mr. Tysinger smiles. "Are you ready?" he asks Prim and Rye.

Prim slides her hand into Rye's and Katniss can see the love she has for him shining in her eyes when she says, "Yes, I'm ready to marry him." Rye answers her with a kiss.

Mr. Tysinger motions for them to follow him to the front of the chapel. Katniss pulls out her phone so she can take some pictures while a young woman she didn't notice before does the same. Prim must have chosen a traditional service because soon Prim and Rye are promising each other their forevers with a simple, "I will."

She can't help but to glance at Peeta out of the corner of her eye. Was he looking at her? Click, she snaps a picture of him watching her. Her heart flips when he flashes his dimples.

She takes another picture when Mr. Tysinger announces Rye and Prim Mellark for the first time. Prim joyfully throws her arms around Rye's neck, and he gently straightens, lifting her five foot three frame easily. Rye claims Prim's lips and Katniss snaps one more pic, then turns away to give them a moment. Peeta pulls her to the back of the chapel.

They stand just inside the doorway waiting for Prim and Rye to finish. Katniss lets herself lean closer than she normally would for just a moment so she can feel him and smell that scent that only he has. She must be closer than she thinks because he throws his arm around her shoulder and murmurs, "Let's get really drunk tonight."

Before she can say anything, Prim and Rye walk by, oblivious to everything but each other. Katniss and Peeta, fall into step behind them. Peeta gives her a questioning look, and all she does is smile and nod. After a day like today, yes, there is some apple pie moonshine calling her name.

* * *

Katniss hides in the bathroom at McCoy's distillery and restaurant, while her sister and her new husband eat their first meal as man and wife.

She isn't sure why she feels so mad, frustrated, and like she just wants to shoot something, but she has ever since Prim told her two days ago that she was eloping with Rye. Sweet, corny Rye. Rye who Prim has loved since she was five and the Mellark boys started coming over after their mom left for some God-forsaken place in Canada. Katniss just wants to scream and cry. Prim has gotten her dream, when is she going to get hers?

She looks at her cell phone and sees that she has been gone for about ten minutes. She is within walking distance of the hotel, what kind of excuse can she give for leaving early? She finishes up and washes her hands, leaves the bathroom, and runs smack into Peeta. Rubbing her head from where she hit his hard chest, she complains, "Damn it, Peeta, that hurt."

He rubs his chest. "I was looking for you. Did you fall in?"

She sticks her tongue out at him. "No. What are they doing? I'm ready to go."

"They are still eating but I'm ready to go, too." He grins that damn Mellark grin. You know, the one that shows his dimples. "I have a wedding present for us."

This gets her attention. "What is it?"

"I'll show you in the room. Come on, let's get out of here."

"Follow my lead, ok?"

He nods and they rejoin Prim and Rye, who are being sickeningly sweet to one another. Katniss rubs her temple like she does when she feels a headache coming on. "Do you mind if I go ahead to the hotel? I feel like I'm getting a headache," she lies.

"Oh I'm sorry, sis. We can go—" Prim starts to look for their waitress.

"Oh no, it's ok! The hotel is just a block away. I'll walk. The cool autumn air might help my head."

"And I'll walk with her." Peeta exaggerates a yawn. "It's been a long day."

"Oh crap!" Prim exclaims. "You opened the bakery today."

"I did. But I wouldn't have missed this for the world. Call me in the morning, Rye."

He nods, and stands up from the booth to hug Katniss. She returns the hug and asks, "How much longer are you two staying? A week?"

"I have some things planned for Prim—"

"And I have something planned for Rye."

Katniss rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "I really don't want to know those plans. We'll see you in the morning."

Peeta reaches down and grabs a shopping bag with the McCoy's distillery logo on it. She can't fight the tingles that radiate from the hand that he puts on her lower back when he guides her to the door. They burst through the doors, and Katniss gasps for air like a drowning victim. Peeta pauses for a moment, and before he can ask if she is alright, she smiles at him. She takes a slow breath of the chilly October air, and shivers a bit before she can stop herself. She rubs her arms, and whispers, "I forgot my sweater in the booth."

"Do you want me to go get it?" he offers. She shakes her head and he takes off his blazer, holding it up so she can slip it on.

She snuggles into it, letting his lingering heat warm her up in more ways than one. The aroma that is _Peeta_ greets her nose, making her panties wet. All she says is, "Thank you, friend."

"I can't have my best girl getting cold." They walk towards the hotel. Before they get to the parking lot, they pass a gas station. "Come on, let's get some snacks."

They are in and out of the convenience store in a jiffy, Peeta buying their usual drinks while Katniss splurges on some sinfully bad snacks. It's not until they are in the elevator that she breaks the silence. "Are you really tired? I brought a book if you don't want to hang out."

"I want to hang out with you. Besides, we don't have to check out until after lunch. We can sit up, watch The Walking Dead eat all of this junk food, or just talk, or go to sleep." The elevator doors open on their floor. Peeta digs out the key card, and opens the door for them.

Katniss kicks off her shoes and takes off his blazer. He is silent as he steps behind her and unzips her zipper without having to be reminded. She can't help the goose bumps that erupt all over. He must see them, because she swears that he barely runs a fingertip over her shoulder. She doesn't turn around, but instead walks to the sink, looks over her shoulder and says, "Can I use the bathroom first?"

He clears his throat and croaks, "Yeah, I'm going to go get ice."

She looks into the mirror and meets his eyes. The look in them takes her breath away. He has looked at her like that before, but in her inexperience, she doesn't know what to do. "Don't forget your key card."

She hears the door click behind him. She quickly drops her dress and hangs it on its hanger. She sheds the rest of her clothes and reaches into her overnight bag for the boxers that used to be Peeta's. She pulls them on under the long-sleeve t-shirt with the Mellark bakery logo as Peeta opens the door.

She scowls as he chuckles from the sight of her. "What?"

He sets down the ice and grabs his bag. "I'm surprised that I have any clothes left. Do you have all of my t-shirts and boxers?"

"I always get you those things for Christmas, I don't want to hear it. What did you get for us to drink?"

He pulls out three mason jars that have the same logo as the bag. She comes closer so she can see what kinds he picked up. One jar is her apple pie moonshine, another is his favorite, lemonade moonshine, and the last one is a jar of their 180 proof special. She lets out a low whistle. "Are we going to be able to move tomorrow?"

He grins at her. "Hell, no. This is a party after all. It's not every day an Everdeen and a Mellark get married." He starts mixing drinks. "We are marathoning The Walking Dead, aren't we?"

She smirks. "Hell, yes. I need some walker-killing action tonight. Where is your laptop?"

"On the table. How strong do you want your drink?"

She sighs. The best way to get through this whole ordeal is to get too numb to think about it. She will have to think of something else when the holidays came around. "Strong. You know, I want just enough ginger ale to give it some bubbles."

"You got it."

Peeta puts the drink in her hand about the same time she has the Netflix display on the hotel TV. With a couple of clicks, the first episode starts, and they flop beside each other on the bed. "You know," Peeta muses, "I do agree with Shane about the lightbulbs."

Katniss rolls her eyes. "Since when have you had women in your apartment leaving all of your lights on?"

"You do it."

She swats his arm, giggling. "I do not. You are the one who leaves the lights on."

"I do not. It's you," he teases.

"You are the one who has a nightlight in every room of the house."

"You know all of those were for Bram when he still lived at home."

"Then why are they all still there?" she teases back.

He doesn't say anything back, but instead refills their mason jars. "Let's play a game," he suggests.

"What kind of game?"

Peeta watches Rick wake up. "How about we drink every time we see a dead person?"

Katniss gets up, and crosses to the coffee pot. She grabs two straws, and puts them in their drinks. "We may as well just drink then." And they do.

By the time the third show begins, Katniss is curled up beside Peeta. Her head rests on his chest, and he plays with her hair. She enjoys her buzz and snuggles into him, loving the way he feels. She knows somewhere in the back of her mind she shouldn't be doing this, but he smells and feels too good to stop. His arm tightens around her, and she rubs her nose on his shirt. Through the mental haze in her head, she sits up so she can look at him. "I'm an awful sister."

"Never."

"I am. I should be happy for them. I really should. But instead I'm here getting drunk with you, because I just want to forget."

"I don't want to forget."

"Watching them today made me so jealous. I mean, my little sister got married today! Before me! I was supposed to have gotten married first. Not her."

"Katniss—"

She points her finger at him, which is something she has never done before. "No, don't you dare try to calm me down. I want to be mad for a little while. I want to be mad at myself for feeling this way about Prim, I want to be mad at Mama for dying, and I want to be mad at your dad for dying too. Why in the hell did the both of them have to get in that car? Why did they have to hit that damn patch of ice?" Tears laden with moonshine and heartbreak stream down her cheeks. "Why does everyone leave me?"

He doesn't say a word while he sits up and simply holds out his arms for her as she sobs. He waits for her to calm down before he whispers, "I'll never leave you." He kisses the top of her head.

His words bring more tears to her eyes. "We should go get married."

He stills. "Why do you say that?"

Even in her drunken state, she can't admit that she loves him with a "The earth moves, the birds sing, she gets weak in the knees" kind of love. She jokes instead. "Aww, you know, you are my best friend and all. You already know everything that is wrong with me and you love me, anyway. You still love me don't you?"

She loves it when he chuckles even if she would never admit it. He says ruefully, "There is someone out there just waiting for you to fall in love with him."

She is so glad that her face is hidden against his chest because his words make her cry even more. She relies on liquid courage to make her brave. "But it's me, it's you." She sits up so she can look at him. "You know, I still remember when you made me that bird card. What did you call it? A Mockingjay?"

He smiles at the memory. "I made that just for you."

She smacks him on the arm. "See! We have history! You aren't going to find this with anyone else. That's why we should go get married."

His face remains neutral, and he gets up off the bed. He paces the room with Rick Grimes shooting walkers in the background. Finally, he stops, and says, "Ok."

She can't believe her ears. "Are you serious?"

His dimples peak out and he staggers to the bed. He drops to one knee with a bang. "Yes. Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?"

She jumps up on the bed and throws herself at him. "Yes," she whispers as he catches her. "Yes, I will marry you." Then she goes to put her Uggs on and grab her purse.

"Where are you going?"

"Come on, silly! We are going to the chapel and we're going to get married." She sings.

He shrugs and slips on his tennis shoes, following her like he's been doing since they were five years old.

* * *

Since they are both drunk, they walk to the chapel. Its chilly outside, but they are both tipsy enough to be impervious to the cold. Katniss stops dead in a panic as the reach the foyer. "We don't have to do a blood test or anything do we?"

Peeta pales. "We have to take a blood test?"

"Are you here to get married?" a sing-song voice trills behind them. They turn to see a woman dressed simply in gray trimmed in white whose name tag says, "Effie". Peeta nods, and she continues, "You don't have to take a blood test in the state of Tennessee anymore. All I need are your driver's licenses and social security numbers."

Katniss can't say anything because her mouth is suddenly so dry, but thankfully Peeta speaks up after he grabs her hand. "Yes, we want to get married," he says so confidently that it makes her knees weak.

Katniss doesn't even looks at Peeta, and starts digging in her purse for her wallet. They hand their cards to the woman at the same time. She looks at them closely and walks over to a desk that Katniss didn't notice when they were here earlier with Prim and Rye.

Effie smiles sweetly. "Wonderful. Did you bring any witnesses?"

"Oh, crap," Katniss says under her breath.

He squeezes her hand. "How many do we need?"

"Actually, we can cover that for you. You'd be amazed at how many people forget them! Do you want to look over any of our wedding packages?"

"Here, look at the book and decide on a package." The simplest is two hundred dollars for out of state couples and it comes with flowers and a couple of pictures. Katniss almost wishes she could go back and get her dress or even Prim. But she knows that if she does, she might not come back. "Can we do that one?" she asks pointing.

Her heart clenches when he looks at her blissfully. He nods and hands Effie his credit card. "We'll take that one."

Effie claps her hands. "Wonderful, wonderful. If you will give me just a moment, we'll get started. There are bathrooms through there if you need to freshen up."

"Thank you," Katniss says. Effie disappears into the office behind her, taking their paper work.

Peeta pulls her away from the desk and takes both her hands in his. He looks like he wants to say something, but Katniss knows that if he does, then the spell will be broken and so will her heart. Instead she looks up at the clock. "Look, it's 12:30. We won't be married on the same day as them." He has that look again, so she says, "I'm going to the bathroom."

She locks the door behind her and takes a deep breath. Looking in the mirror, she wipes off some the mascara that is making her look like a raccoon, and finger-combs her hair. She lets a happy smile light up her face. They have always been there for each other. She remembers how Delly would make her and Peeta play house with her. Delly always wanted to be their child, while she and Peeta were the parents. She feels like she is pushing Peeta into this, but she doesn't know any other way to tell him how she feels. She finishes up and, with a little thrill, realizes that this will be the last time she will wash her hands as a single woman.

She walks out and joins Peeta and Effie, who are talking. "Hello, dear. I just have a quick question, then we can get started. Do you want traditional vows?" the older woman hands her a small bundle of dandelions and daisies.

"Are those like the "Do you take him? And so on?""

Effie nods. "Is that what you want?" They nod together. The blonde smiles and says, "Katniss, you stay here. Peeta and I are going to the front. When I wave, you can start. Ok?"

Katniss gives a shy nod and watches them walk into the chapel. Effie gets to her mark, and Peeta stands to her left. Effie pushes a button on a remote. Tears come quickly when she hears the theme from "The Princess Bride" come on over the speakers. This is hers and Peeta's favorite movie, and they are able to quote whole passages from it. He meets her eyes, and she floats down the aisle to him.

She hears someone taking pictures and she sees a tall young man standing in the corner with a camera. Effie starts and in just a moment they are promising their forever with a simple, "I do." Effie follows it with the words she's dreamed about ever since she was twelve, "You may kiss your bride." He looks at her with a question in his eyes. Their hands are still intertwined, so she pulls him to her. He stops inches from her lips, and she knows that he is looking for permission. She nods, and he smiles. He lets go of her hands and cups her face. She hangs on to his forearms, and he claims his bride with a kiss.

Katniss has been kissed before, but never like this. It lasts for only a moment, but it sets her on fire. He pulls back to look into her eyes, and she promises herself that she will never forget the love that she sees there. They only pull apart to pose for a few more pictures after says to them, "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark." That they pull apart and pose for a couple of more pictures. The photographer introduces himself as Tax, and he and Peeta discuss where he can mail the pictures.

Effie throws rice. When they are outside on the steps, all Katniss can say is, "We just got married."

He throws his arm around her. Kissing her on the top of her head, he says, "Let's go back to our room, beautiful."

* * *

Once they walk back to the hotel Katniss walks into their room and goes straight for the 180 proof. Unscrewing the Mason jar lid, she takes a big drink. It burns so bad that she can't stop the tears that spring to her eyes. She chases it with the ginger ale that still sits on the dresser. Peeta is beside her, copying her actions. When Katniss can breathe again, she says, "We just got married."

Peeta takes a deep breath. "We did. Oh shit, we did." He runs his fingers through his curls. "I wanted that to happen, but not like that."

Her heart stops. "What did you say?"

He blanches when he realizes what he said. "Nothing. It's nothing."

She isn't sure what he is talking about, but she knows that she has come too far now to lose him. And that is what it feels like. A little desperate and still tipsy, she grabs the collar of his shirt. She is tired of telling herself that she isn't allowed to be in love with her best friend. That she isn't allowed to kiss him whenever she wants to, that she can't touch him. She is tired of not having his arms around her when she goes to sleep. She is tired of not being able to tell him how she feels. So she kisses him.

She doesn't realize that she is crying when she does, her salty tears wetting her lips. His lips don't move, and she can feel her heart breaking in that instant. Then she sobs in relief when he wraps his arms around her. She opens her mouth first, and that is all the encouragement he needs.

His lips claim hers. She puts every emotion that she has ever felt for this boy, for this man, holding her right now into this kiss. She lets go of his shirt, and her fingers find their way to his perfect curls, those curls that have been begging her to play with them again like she did when they were ten. His arms tighten around her, lifting her up against him. She opens her eyes, and she can't stop the happy tears when he is there looking back at her. "Is this real?" he whispers against her lips.

She kisses him briefly and says, "God, I hope so. If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up."

This time, she wraps her legs around him when he kisses her. All of the worries she ever had about whether or not this would happen fades away. She is in his arms. Nothing else matters. His kiss makes her feel things that she has never felt before. She feels like she is on fire. She just wants him to touch her. She wants him.

He stumbles to the bed, and they land with a very ungraceful huff. Peeta sits back, and she loves the way he looks at her. He gently fingers the hem of her t-shirt. "Are you sure about this?" he asks nervously.

She reaches down to his hand and brings it to her lips so she can kiss his palm. His face softens and she recognizes the look he gives her. It's the same look she finds on his face when he doesn't think she is looking. He cups her cheek, and she leans into his touch, nuzzling his hand. "I married you today. And I want my husband."

He pulls her up and fiercely kisses her. In just a moment, he has her shirt off. He freezes when he sees that she isn't wearing a bra. "You married me without a bra?"

She flushes at his words. Then they start laughing together. "How red-neck is that? Getting married without a bra on?" She giggles, trying to cover herself.

His normally, Carolina blue eyes look like there is a storm brewing in them when he eases her shirt away from her grip. "I want to see you," he murmurs. He reaches out and lightly touches her waist. Goose-bumps pebble her skin as he skims the underside of her breast with the backs of his fingers. Then, as if he can't stop himself, he cups her entire breast.

She lays back, and she smiles when he follows her. They look into each other's eyes and he presses a lingering kiss to her lips. "I just want to kiss you all over," he whispers.

All she can say is, "ok."

He kisses her on the side of her neck. "I've wanted you for so long, I don't think I can wait."

"Wait for what?" she asks.

He pauses for a moment then chuckles. He takes her nipple in his mouth and she gasps at the new sensation. She finds his curls again, and tries to pull him closer. Her hands never leave his head as he travels to her other breast. The sensation of him kissing her _there_ makes her want him in another place. She just isn't sure how to tell him.

She tugs at his hair, and he smiles against her skin. "I'm getting there, kitten." He sits up, and takes his shirt off. Through the years she has seen him shirtless many times. She has wanted to feel him since she was 14. She reaches out and touches his stomach, and she smiles when he quivers under her fingers. Her touch lingers when she looks up to his face. This time, he's the one who claims her hand and brings it to his lips.

He grins at her and reaches for her boxers. She tries not to be embarrassed when she realizes that her best friend, now husband, is going to see how wet she is. He pulls them off and freezes, looking at her. She makes herself look up at his face. Instead of horror, he is smiling at her. He touches her knee, and slides his hand all the way up her thigh. Her legs fall apart instinctively, and she wants him to touch her _there_. She can't stop the moan when he does.

His fingers find her clit, and she grabs his other hand when he starts to rub her, her eyes rolling back at the waves of pleasure washing over her. She grabs his arm, wanting to pull it away so he won't feel how wet she is _there_ when he pushes his finger in anyway. Instead of the look of disgust she expects, he pulls his finger back, and licks her wetness off of it. She can't describe what she feels when he does that, she just knows that she wants him to do it again. But he doesn't.

He stands up. She just knows that he is going to leave her now. She just wants him to go away so she can be alone in the light of his rejection. Instead, he goes to the bottom of the bed and lays down in between her legs. Before she can ask him what is he doing, he is _there_ licking her clit.

Her back arches off of the bed. More waves of pleasure roll through her. She feels something coiling in her belly and she can't help herself as she comes. He is still gently licking her while she feels like a limp rag doll. He sits up on his heels, and slides his shorts off. She admires him and at the same time is a little scared that he is going to put that in _there._ He suddenly has a condom, sheathes himself and lays on top of her to kiss her deeply. She doesn't miss herscent on his lips. Instead of being repulsed by it, it makes her feel that taut feeling again.

He reaches down in between them, and she gasps at his intrusion. Her nails dig into his shoulders when he comes up against her natural barrier. "Oh God, Katniss. You mean you're a virgin?"

With tears in her eyes, she begs, "Don't stop, and don't leave me. Please."

He kisses her tears away. "I don't think I could if I tried." He doesn't move down _there,_ but he does put his hands on either side of her head. He gently pushes in, and she hangs on to him. When he is all the way inside of her. He stops and looks down at her. "I had no idea—"

"Shhh. I was saving it for you."

At her words, she thinks she sees him tear up some. He rests his forehead against hers. "I love you. Now, it shouldn't hurt anymore." And then he starts to move. Slowly at first, he pumps in and out until she opens her legs trying to let him deeper on every push.

She can feel the tension coiling again and hangs on to him tighter. This time he gasps and goes stiff in her arms. He moves his hips a couple of times and this time, Katniss realizes that she is having an orgasm. Waves of pleasure wash over her again, as she comes with him.

His kisses make her open her eyes, and she meets his smile with a face-splitting one in return. She kisses him deeply. He lays down beside her, and they lay there for a moment looking up at the ceiling. "How long do we have to wait before we can do _that_ again?"

* * *

There will be more…. I promise… I have two more parts planned!

As some of you may or may not know, these fics usually take a small army of people to get it looking as nice as they do and to you. There are some writers who do it all, I'm not one of them. So first, I need to thank Sohypothetically. she is not only a great comma policewoman, but she is a good friend, especially when I call her freaking out about _this…_ twice… she is just wonderful. And for my sweet Norbertsmom. Thank you for your all-seeing reading abilities. You rock dear! And to Whowhatsitwhich… thank you for listening to me when the mister was tired of hearing me whine, and for reading… thank you for that too! But most of all, thank you Street for putting all of this together. I know how it is with two little ones and you don't know if you are coming or going half of the time. You are doing great things by hosting this, and I know the kids that benefit from this are and will be grateful. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

See, I told you there would be more!

I need to thank Norbertsmom and I will forever be grateful for all of her hard work. She really is one of the best! And then I need to thank my sweet notanislander for asking for more apple pie! This is for you!

Enjoy!

* * *

She isn't sure what she notices first, the sun making her head hurt worse as it wakes her up too early, or the God-awful taste in her mouth. Did she not brush her teeth last night? Or is it the fact that she is naked, and someone else is naked in the bed.

She glances over at the lump beside her, and can't see anything because they have their head covered up. Which, she thinks, is a pretty good idea if she didn't have to pee so bad. She gently eases herself up, grabs a shirt and her panties off of the floor and creeps, soundlessly across the room.

It isn't until she is in the bathroom, and looks in the mirror that she notices the dark bruise-like marks on her breasts. She sits on the toilet and when she starts to go she feels the tinge of soreness. It's when she wipes, and sees a little bit of blood, that what happened the night before comes rushing back. She pulls on the shirt, which ends up being his, and her panties, and brushes her teeth. Her mind is scrambling, trying to think of what is going to happen now.

"Fuck me," she says under her breath as she goes back to the bed, not sure what to do next. He must have felt her get out of the bed because she can see how blood-shot his eyes are while looking for her.

"Come here," his morning after, whiskey-hoarse voice that makes her weak in the knees, beckons her. She takes a step towards him, but stops to close the curtains first, and they both sigh in relief when darkness surrounds them. He holds up the covers and she gratefully crawls back in beside him. She forgets all of her worries when he pulls her close into his arms as they both go back to sleep.

* * *

This time it's he who wakes her up when he eases out of the bed. A moment later, she hears the bathroom door shut. It's only when she comes out from under the blanket that she dares to open her eyes.

She listens to what he is doing in the bathroom, and can't stop herself from breathing a little sigh of relief when she hears the shower start. She runs her hand through her hair and starts to gather up their clothes off of the floor. She goes to lay them on top of the dresser when she notices the folded piece of paper from the chapel where Prim and Rye got married. She picks it up and starts to read.

When she sees her name and Peeta's name where it lists who was joined together in marriage, her knees go weak and she can't help but to sit down hard on the floor. Peeta must have heard her because he comes almost running out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips.

He crouches down beside her and she catches herself wanting to lick the drops of water that are clinging to his shoulders. She shows him the papers and weakly says, "We really did get married last night?"

"It would seem so."

She can hear the uncertainty in his voice and it sends a shiver of dread up her spine. She doesn't know what to say before he is standing up, holding on to his towel with one hand and offering her the other one.

When he turns away from her, she can feel her heart breaking. Not only is he her best friend ever since they were in kindergarten, but she loves him with everything she has. He turns away running his hands through his hair like he does when he is nervous about something, when all she wants him to do is take her in his arms and take her back to bed. She opens her mouth to say something, but he doesn't even turn around when she hears the defeat in his voice when he says, "Let's get cleaned up and go home. I need to go by the bakery."

She wraps her arms around herself and nods, unable to say anything, walking quickly into the bathroom. She doesn't see how he watches her with tears in his own Carolina blue eyes as she locks the door behind her, silent tears coursing down her cheeks.

* * *

He gently wakes her up when they get to her house. She is still groggy from taking two Dramamine so she would sleep over the mountains instead of talking about what happened. She steps out of his truck onto the curb and starts to walk around to the truck bed to get her bag, but Peeta beats her there. He nods towards the house and she wraps her arms around herself leading the way.

She unlocks the door, and he steps inside setting her bag down in front of the stairs. He takes his sunglasses off and awkwardly stands there, so she blurts out, "I don't know what to say—"

He interrupts, "I know that this is something that you never wanted, and said what you did last night because you were drunk."

She shakes her head, but he ignores her and keeps on talking, "Katniss, you are my best friend. I don't want to lose that or you." Something creeps back into his voice and she can't quite tell what it is. "I have the papers. I'll take care of this so we can go back to normal again." He hesitatingly gives her a kiss on the cheek and practically runs out her front door.

She follows him back out onto the porch and she sinks onto the top step as she watches him trot down the walk, jump into his truck and speed away.

She doesn't even realize that she is crying until Gale's big collie, Max finds her and licks her tears away. She throws an arm around the old dog and sobs into his scruff while her heart continues to break.

She isn't sure how long she is outside with Max, but sometime later she stumbles to the couch and ends up lying there in her house with the TV on to fill the silence that threatens to smother her. She notices that its getting dark outside, but she stays where she is, wondering what Peeta is doing.

Its several hours later when her phone chimes a text. Looking down she sees that it's Prim telling her that they arrived in Niagara Falls. She sends her a happy face and doesn't hear anything back from anyone else that night.

She is awakened by the sun shining in her eyes for the second morning in a row. When she sits up, she has a wave of nausea from not eating the day before.

She hears an unfamiliar whine, and looks around seeing Max standing in her living room. Her voice is hoarse from all of the crying from the day before, so when she calls, "Come here, Max." Even the pup looks at her funny. Before she can say anything else, there is knock on the door, and they both perk up when they hear the familiar voice on the other side.

She stands up with a groan and hobbles to the door. Max sticks his head out the door to greet Gale. He bends down to scratch his head. "I was wondering if you were over here, boy. Katniss, I thought you were going to call—" He stops talking when he finally looks up and sets his eyes on her. "Fuck, Katniss! What happened to you?"

She didn't think she had anymore tears left, but it seems that she does when they start streaming down her cheeks again. Hiccupping, she sobs, "Peeta and I got married."

In the many years of being neighbors with Gale Hawthorne she has never seen him as speechless as he is right now when he stutters, "You did what?"

She shuts the door behind Max and goes back to the couch where she spent last night. She sinks down into the cushions and Gale sinks down beside her. "You know Prim and Rye eloped, and we went too."

Gale nods. She continues, "Well Peeta I started drinking. He got pretty drunk and I did, too, but not as drunk as he was. Well, I had the bright idea that we should go get married. So we did."

Gale stares at her for a moment. "Then what?"

Katniss looks down at her hands and mutters, "We had amazing, mind-blowing sex. Three times. Then we came home—"

"Whoa. You had sex with him, three times? While he was drunk?" she nods. "He wasn't drunk."

Her heart leaps into her throat. "What do you mean, he wasn't drunk?"

"I don't know how much he had to drink, but if he was able to get it up three times, he wasn't drunk."

She wraps her arms around her torso. She can't think straight, and if Peeta was as sober as Gale thinks, then the way he is treating her is even worse. Gale interrupts her thoughts, "What's wrong?"

"He wouldn't talk to me all the way home. He dropped me off and said some bullshit about me not really wanting to do this because I was drunk, and that he is going to fix it."

He throws his arm around her shoulders and pulls her tight against him. "Does this mean that I can finally go and kick Mellark's ass?"

She wipes her nose. "If I don't shoot him first, I might let you. Why would he agree to marry me, if he wasn't as drunk as I thought he was?"

"I don't know Catnip, I don't know."

* * *

It kills him to pull away from her curb. All he wants to do is rush back in there, and carry her up to her room, the same room he hasn't been allowed in since they were eleven and he woke up with his first hard on. He would laugh at the memory of them waking up and Katniss asking her mother what that was but it hurts too badly. He wipes the tears that have been trailing down his cheeks since he left the hotel, not knowing what to do now.

He blindly drives to his apartment over the bakery, glad now that he asked Vick to work for him today. He slowly goes up the stairs, and sets down his bag. He grabs a beer and plops down on his couch. He turns on the TV, ready for some noise to quiet the doubt in his heart for leaving her all alone.

He cries a little harder when he sees Rick and Darryl walking across the screen. He downs half of the beer, and misses her the entire time he watches the rest of season two.

His phone rings several times during the next several hours but none of them are her, so he doesn't answer.

Sometime after the sun goes down, he starts in on the whiskey after running out of beer. He is just glad that for once there isn't any of her apple pie moonshine in his freezer.

He jumps when there is a loud knocking on his door. With tired, blood-shot eyes he notices that the clock hanging on the wall says nine p.m. He can almost ignore the knocking until he hears Finnick call out, "Come on Peet! I know you are in there, your truck is parked out here!"

With a weary sigh, he stands up, muscles protesting the sudden movement. He twists his torso to pop his back, then goes to let Finnick in.

His other best friend breezes in, full of energy. "Hey man! Let's go to Magnolia's. Jo wants to meet—" His words trail off when he finally notices his friend beside the door. "Christ, Peeta. What happened to you?"

He doesn't answer, but instead goes to refill his glass. Finnick comes to stand beside him and softly asks, "When was the last time you ate anything?"

Peeta shrugs, staring blindly out the window above his sink into the darkness surrounding his home and his heart. He whispers, "How could I have been so stupid?"

Finnick opens the refrigerator and pulls out the cheese, butter and the pitcher of ice water Peeta keeps in there. Then he opens the cabinet and gets a loaf of bakery bread and sets it on the counter. It isn't until Finnick gets a cast iron pan from the rack above the island that Peeta finally looks at him. He blinks twice and seems to finally focus.

Finnick sets the pan on the stove and turns on the stove eye. "If I make you a grilled cheese, will you eat it? And drink some water?"

Peeta nods and sits down on one of the stools next to the island. He puts his elbows on the counter top and runs his hands through his messy curls. "I can't believe it. I fucked everything up."

Finnick sets the water in front of Peeta and waits for him to drink a big gulp before he asks, "What happened? Did Rye not marry Prim? Where are they anyway?"

"They got married. It was fucking perfect. Those two deserve each other."

Finnick waves the spatula at Peeta. "Then why are drunk?"

Peeta takes a deep breath. "I'm not drunk."

"Why are you drinking all of the Jack Daniels in your house then?" Finnick asks as he turns back to the stove to put the bread in the pan.

"Katniss and I got married."

A long clang makes Peeta jump when Finnick drops the spatula. He looks up to his friend standing there with his jaw literally hanging open. "What the fuck, Peeta? Whose idea was that? Where is she? Wait—this is what you've always wanted. Why aren't you happy?"

Peeta starts shaking his head, tears tracing familiar paths down his cheeks. "She was drunk, Finnick. She said lets go get married, of course I went. You know I can't tell her no. I never could." He tries to choke back the sob that escapes anyway, "She was a virgin, Finnick. A fucking, sweet virgin." He looks down at the glass sitting in his hands. "Do you know what she said after I—" Peeta waves his hand not wanting to say what Finnick does.

"After you popped her cherry?"

"Christ, Finnick. Don't be crude. This is Katniss we are talking about."

Finnick holds his hands over his chest like he is going to start quoting Shakespeare. "Fine then, how is this? What did fair maiden say when you ripped through her maiden head?"

For the first time in what feels like forever Peeta almost grins, then he chokes up again when he says, "She said that she was saving it for me. Do you know what that means, Finnick, if she is telling me the truth?"

Finnick leans on the counter top so he can look into Peeta's eyes. "That she wants you as much as you want her?"

Peeta scrubs his face with his hands. "Not anymore."

Finnick pulls his hands down. "What did you do?"

"I took her home, and said that it was all a big mistake and that I would fix it so we could go back to normal." Then he whispers to himself again, "I fucked up."

"Damn it Peeta! Yes, you did fuck up. I should take you back over there to her just so you can get on your knees and beg for forgiveness. Then while you are down there, beg her to be your bride."

"I can't Finnick. The best I can do is go see Haymitch in the morning and see if he can get it annulled. Then hopefully I can have my best friend back." He coughs to cover up the tears even he can hear in his voice. "I can't live without her, Finnick. But I know that she doesn't feel about me the way I feel about her."

* * *

Peeta doesn't make it to Haymitch's law office the next day. As what often happens when you are a small business owner, when you take a weekend off, you have a desk, well, bakery full of work to catch up on. After hours spent penciling in cupcake orders, and Thanksgiving pies for the church Thanksgiving suppers next month, when Peeta finally has a chance to look up, it is well past six o'clock. Peeta knows that Haymitch leaves at four on Monday's to go to the club. Peeta still isn't sure what happens at the club on Monday nights, but it always helped his own dad have a better week when he could go.

He is still feeling the effects of his weekend of whiskey when Vick appears in his doorway. Vick walks on in, hanging up his apron and grabs his time card to punch his time. Before Peeta can ask anything, Vick reminds him, "Posy has a basketball game. You said I could leave early last week, remember?"

Peeta nods. "I remember. Have fun, and scream loudly for me too. Are you opening tomorrow?"

Vick shakes his head. "I have class until one—"

Peeta interrupts, "On Tuesdays. Who would have thought Rye getting married would screw me up this bad?" He tries not to cringe when he hears the double meaning of his own words. He stands up to follow Vick out of the office. "Who else is working tonight?"

"Katniss said that she would cover for me." Vick replies.

Peeta sighs. "I doubt she will." He runs his hands through his hair. "You go ahead. I've closed this bakery by myself before."

Vick doesn't say anything about Peeta's strange tone, but hurries out of the bakery anyway so he can make it to the high school on time. No sooner than he is out the door, than he sees Katniss' Jeep sitting in her usual spot in the back. He only takes a minute to wonder why she isn't going on in, when his phone rings, claiming his attention.

* * *

Katniss walks into her office that morning, still feeling like crap. So sooner than she hangs up her jacket, Delly comes bouncing in with a handful of messages. "Thom is coming, but he had to take Jeremy to school first."

Katniss nods. "He didn't want to listen to the messages, did he?"

Delly chuckles, "You know he didn't. He volunteered for drop off even before he got out of the bed this morning." Delly pauses and Katniss can tell that she is looking at her. She knows that she looks more tired than the usual Monday morning tired, and she can't help the sigh of relief when Delly continues, "How did the wedding go? Are Prim and Rye off on their honeymoon by now?" Delly just gives Katniss a moment to nod before she says, "I do wish she would have gotten married here, but I understand, too, how it would feel with both your mama Rye's dad gone. Can I plan a reception?"

Katniss glances up from the notes Delly gave her a moment ago. "Yeah, I don't see why that would be a problem. I don't think they are coming back until after Halloween, though. Rye has it all planned out. I think they are even going to Disney world."

Delly hops a little, reminding Katniss why she hired her to begin with, to be cheerful to the clients who called and came by her little surveying company. "We'll get Peeta to make the food of course, and maybe have it at the church? Or would somewhere else be better?"

Katniss waves her towards her own desk. "You go figure it out then tell me what you decided—"

"What is the budget?"

Katniss shrugs. "Find a place to have it, and then we'll figure out the rest of it, ok?" The phone starts ringing, so Delly grabs it, while Katniss looks at the messages again. Maybe it's time to rethink hiring an assistant, but until then, this will be enough to keep her busy until she wants to think about what happened between her and Peeta.

The door chimes and both women look up see Thom, Delly's husband walking in. Katniss looks at her calendar again, and lets out a deep breath. There isn't a lot here, but this isn't where she wants to be either. She calls out, "Hey Thom, come here for a minute, please."

Twenty minutes later, she is driving up Onion Mountain, headed up to the overlook that Dad would take her when he was still alive. She puts the jeep in park and quickly exits. "Oh, Daddy. I've messed up this time," she whispers to the chilly October breeze blowing on top of the mountain. She lets the tears that she has been holding back all morning wash down her cheeks.

* * *

It isn't until the sun starts going down that she remember the promise she made to Vick, that she would cover the rest of his shift so he could go see Posy play ball. She makes her way down the old rocky road, trying to hurry back to town. She can't remember who else is supposed to work, but she hopes that it's not Peeta. She isn't ready to talk to him just yet.

She pulls up to the back door of the bakery and parks in her usual spot. "Damn it," she softly curses when she sees Peeta's truck parked in his usual spot. She takes a deep breath and before she opens her door, she sees Vick walking across the parking lot while talking on the phone. "Well, at least I'm not that late," she murmurs to herself. She quickly crosses the parking lot, and approaches the door but before she has a chance to open it, Peeta is there pushing it open as he comes out. She jumps back with a, "Oh!" She puts her hand over her heart and says, "You scared me!"

He smiles that sheepish smile that she loves so much it hurts. "I'm sorry Katniss, I was taking out the garbage. What are you doing here?"

"Vick asked me to cover his shift tonight so he could go to the ballgame." Peeta looks at her with such a weary face, that it makes her heart hurt. She reaches up and cups his cheek without thinking and whispers, "Oh, Peeta, you can't sleep either?"

He leans into her hand, kissing her palm. Then they both jump back, realization on their faces that they aren't allowed to touch each other like that. She looks down before she sees the longing on his face. "I'll go on in and start clean up," she whispers and ducks under his arm, almost running into the kitchen.

She goes over to the industrial sinks by the wall, and starts the soapy water. She has never minded doing dishes, so when Mr. Mellark found out when she was fifteen, he would often beg her to help out when he was shorthanded. She didn't mind. It gave her spending money and got her out of the house. It didn't hurt that Peeta, her best friend, would usually be working too.

He sets down some cookie pans and says, "You don't have to do that. I thought about closing up early."

"Nonsense. We are here, we have to clean, so just keep the front open. The chimes are on, aren't they?"

He nods and she looks back down to the sink now full of bubbles. She sees his feet move away and she knows that he is starting to rub down all of the surfaces in the kitchen and out at the sales counter. They have done this so many times over the years that they are done very quickly. No sooner than she rinses the last spoon, that she sees him out of the corner of her eye pushing the mop bucket with their two mops.

She leaves her gloves on, silently grabs her mop and goes up front. She doesn't mind helping, what is bothering her is the silence. When she can't stand it anymore, she breaks the silence and says, "Peeta!" The handle of his mop chatters when it hits the tile. He looks up and this time she doesn't miss the longing on his face. "What are we doing? I don't like 'this'. It feels like I've lost you—"

He covers the three steps between them in a single bound. This time it's her mop clattering to the floor as he takes her in his arms. She loves how he always smells like cinnamon. She hears the pain in his voice and it makes the tears that she thought she had all cried out come back again. "You haven't lost me, I'm right here."

She looks up at him, and he meets her eyes. "You promise?"

He kisses her on the forehead. "I promise. We are still friends, best friends."

And just like that, any shimmer of hope she might have had, is gone.

* * *

On the way to the office the next day, Katniss receives a text from Prim saying that Rye has planned the perfect honeymoon because he surprised her with a trip to Disney World.

Katniss softly swears as she remembers that if they are going to be gone, then it will be her and Peeta working at the bakery on Halloween. After Mrs. Mellark left when they were younger, Graham would open up the bakery on Halloween. All of the Everdeen and Mellark kids would help him decorate and it often turned into a block party since the bakery is located so close to the residential part of their little town.

She decides to go ahead and just swing by the bakery to see if Peeta has heard from Rye. She tries not to think how they would be on her honeymoon too if Peeta would just cooperate and stop pushing her away. She pulls the door open, inhaling the wonderfulness that is Mellark's bakery first thing in the morning.

Peeta's weary Carolina blue eyes meet her over the counter and she gives him a tired smile in return. No one else is in the front so she walks on over to stand in front of him with the counter between them.

"Did they text you, too?" he asks.

She nods. "I got it a little bit ago. I can still help with Halloween if you want me to."

He swallows hard, and begins, "Katniss, you don't have to—"

"Yes I do." she looks down and fiddles with her keys. "Your dad—"

This time he interrupts, "Katniss, one day you are going to have to stop feeling like you owe my family for the past. It's in the past, and he would have done it even if you hadn't helped in the bakery."

She smiles knowing that he can tell how worn out she is by it. "So, you don't want me to help at Halloween?"

He shakes his head. "Yes, I do want you to help. I need you to help. With Rye and Prim still gone—"

"And Bram is still working in Atlanta," she adds.

"There is no one else. And I think Vick asked off for that evening—"

She reaches out and touches his hand, where it rests on the counter. She watches him flip his hand over and grabs ahold of hers. She tries not to think about how good it feels when she says, "Its ok. I'll be here. Do I need to come and help decorate?"

He shakes his head. "I'm just going to do what I did the year before, you know—"

The memories hurt but she shows him a little smile anyway. "Yeah, before they were in the wreck. Have you—"

Of course he knows who she means. "No, I've been busy. I'll call Haymitch today, ok?"

She looks away, so he won't see the tears trying to escape. She squeezes his hand and clears her throat. "Let me know what he says. I've got to go."

He pulls his hand away, and she misses him instantly. He grabs a box and gives her half a dozen of his best glazed doughnuts and pours her a cup of coffee. She accepts them while he says, "Share them with Delly and Thom."

She nods and starts for the door, before she does something stupid like try to kiss him. "Bye Peeta."

* * *

Katniss' favorite client, the Biltmore house has her busy the next couple of days, so she doesn't get a chance to call Peeta. She tells herself that he is busy too with the fall weddings and preparing the bakery fresh treat bags he is known for giving away.

Delly comes into her office and says, "Pick up on line one,"

Katniss doesn't even look up but says, "Not now, Delly."

Delly quietly says, "It's Haymitch Abernathy."

She looks up at the questioning look on her friends face. "Can you close the door Delly?" Katniss sees her eyebrow going up but she ignores her and picks up the phone. "This is Katniss."

"Sweetheart," he drawls with the same deep southern accent that all of the older gentlemen in her town possess. "The boy came to see me yesterday."

She gulps and says, "Oh he did?"

"He did. He told me what you two did."

"He did?" she asks, trying to stay calm.

"I thought I needed to talk to you first before I figure out what needs to be done."

She hopes her voice doesn't betray the tears she's trying to hold back. "What do you need to know?"

She hates that his voice changes when he asks, "He said that it was your idea to get married. Is that true?"

"He went along with it."

"Do you want to stay married to him?"

She shrugs, even though he can't see her. "What does it matter? He doesn't want to be."

"Sweetheart, he just wants what you want." Haymitch sighs. "You are both consenting adults, so we can't get it annulled, so you will have to file separation papers and then file for a divorce."

She isn't sure why that hurts, but it does. She can't stop the sob and she covers up her mouth quickly to hide the sound. "How long will it take?"

"It's going to take a year for it to be final."

"Ok. Well thank you for calling. Does Peeta know?"

"No, I was going to talk to you first—"

"If this is what he wants, then go ahead. I won't fight it. I won't fight it at all."

* * *

Katniss glances in the mirror, adjusts the strap of the antique quiver that hangs on her shoulder and wonders for the millionth time since Haymitch called her why isn't there anyone else who can work tonight. She looks at herself in the mirror and doesn't miss the dark circles under her eyes from tossing and turning the night before. She whispers as she runs in the concealer, "Damn you, Peeta Mellark."

She checks her face again and thinks that the old hunting clothes she threw on, along with her bow, will be good for tonight. Usually she and Peeta talk about what they are going to dress up as, but she hasn't really felt like talking to him the past couple of days.

She turns off the bathroom light, and grabs the case on the bed. In just a moment she is on the way to the bakery. She parks the Jeep and can't help but to notice that by the way everything is decorated, she guesses that he must have had a lot more help than he let on. "Oh well. I'll stay for an hour tops, then I'm out of here," she says out loud to herself.

The store front has black and orange lights outlining the windows looking out into the street. On the sidewalk, but out of the way, are several pumpkins that Peeta and the bakery employees carved that day. Blight, the farmer who supplies Peeta with the fruit for his pastries even brought him a couple of bundles of corn stalks to put on either side of the door.

She pushes the door open, smiling when she hears that Peeta replaced the chime with the theme from the Addams Family. No one else is in the front, and before she walks on in, she hears Peeta calling out from the kitchen. Still carrying her bow, she walks into the back, through the swinging door.

Peeta is still busy, hunched over the stainless steel table, flour scattered everywhere, still cutting out cookies. "Oh Peeta," she sighs, "why didn't you call me? I would have come sooner."

He looks up and this times she doesn't mistake his look of happiness to see her. She tries not to let it hurt when he quickly covers it up. "This is the last batch. Is anyone here yet?"

She shakes her head. "Why didn't you make anyone else work tonight?" She doesn't miss the look of disappointment and adds, "Because it's always been me and you working on Halloween?" He nods sheepishly and slides the pan into the oven. "I would have come in sooner to help you if you would have called."

"I didn't want to bother you. Besides, I know that you have been busy with the people from Biltmore."

She leans her bow against the wall and washes her hands. "Don't remind me. Those people are crazy you know?" she asks as she starts bagging the many cookies that Peeta has already gotten out of the oven.

He comes to stand beside her, taking a long drink of water from his ever present water bottle that he keeps filled when he bakes. He chuckles, "They just like to drive you crazy, you know?"

She sticks her tongue out at him. He watches her pack the customary 2 cookies per bag, then he starts adding them to the bigger goody bags they will be handing out to the neighborhood kids in just a little while. "Are you going to be a baker for Halloween this year?"

He looks down at his clothes. "You know, I forgot about dressing up. You look like very intimating."

"Ha ha. I figured we would be the baker and the huntress tonight." She nervously clears her throat. "Haymitch called me."

She glances over at him and sees that he won't look up at her but continues to pack the bags. "Katniss—"

She interrupts him, "It's ok Peeta." Even she can hear the false bravery in her own voice. "This is what you want to do—"

This time, the Addams Family Values demands their attention. Katniss waits until he is in the front of the bakery before she breathes a sigh of relief. She can hear more parents bringing in their little ones, so she quickly gathers the rest of the bags and joins them out front.

* * *

When the last weary, but still too excited child leaves the bakery, Katniss quickly locks the door behind them. She rests her head against the glass looking out into the parking lot. "I'm so glad that tomorrow is Saturday. I'm going to sleep all day."

He steps up behind her and turns off the open sign. "Me too. I did make everyone else work tomorrow. You can go ahead if you want to. I'll finish cleaning up."

She shakes her head. "No I'll help. It's ok." She says as she follows him through the swinging door. "Besides, all you have is cookie sheets, right?"

He nods. "I used the dough I made and froze yesterday."

She heads over to the sink, passing him on the way, but before she can pass him, he snakes his hand out and grabs her arm. She stops and looks up at him surprised. He has the strangest look on his face, she barely has time to think, when he is pulling her against him, crushing her lips under his in the most pleasant way.

Still feeling her lack of experience, all she knows to do is to grab his shirt and try to pull him even closer. She feels his arms wrapping around her, so she trails her arms around his neck to return the embrace.

When he pulls away for even just a moment, he must see the fear of him rejecting her again flash in her eyes. He sighs, "Can I have you just one more time?" He rubs noses with her, helping the warmth racing through her veins. "Then maybe I can leave you alone?"

Her heart hurts at his words, but his attention makes her bolder than normal. "Who says that I'm going to leave you alone?"

He looks deep into her eyes and says, "God, I hope you never do." He then pushes her until her back gently hits the clean prep table behind her. He rests his hands on her hips and she can feel him caressing her strip of skin that sometimes shows when she wears this outfit. He leans over so he can whisper in her ear. "There is something I've dreamed about doing with you since I was thirteen. Can I?"

He leans back so he can see her nod while giving him a funny look. He chuckles, "I think you might like it. I know I will." He tugs on her shirt and she obediently raises her arms so he can pull it over her head. She smiles when she hears him groan when he sees her black lace bra. He slides his hands up, over her rib cage, until he cups the underside of her breasts while he runs his thumbs over the lace covering her nipples. "You just don't know—"

"I don't know what?" she interrupts.

"The effect you have on me," he hoarsely whispers before he claims her lips again. She opens her mouth to welcome him into her, nervous when she feels her center growing wet.

"Peeta—" she breathes his name.

Peeta must have heard the nerves in her voice because he pulls back for a moment. He gently brushes the wisps that have escaped her braid away from her face and smiles warmly at her. She sees understanding in his eyes, and she wonders if he does remember her inexperience after all. He doesn't say it out loud, but somehow she knows he understands. "I know," he whispers as he works the button loose on her worn camo pants. She shivers when the sound of her zipper fills the silence of the bakery.

She grabs his hands before he eases her pants on down. "What are we doing, Peeta?"

He shallows hard, and admits, "I want to make love to my wife." This time, she lets him ease her pants down until he gets to her boots. He lifts her onto the table and quickly unties them. In a flurry of movement, her clothes are gone, and she is sitting on the table in her mismatched bra and panties.

She stops him when he starts to step away. "Where are you going?"

He grins and offers, "Nowhere, beautiful." And he pulls a small container of flour off of the shelf. She knows that is the organic cake flour that they use on wedding cakes. He sets it beside her and undoes the clasp in-between her breasts while she giggles, still nervous.

Reverently, he cups her breasts, one in each hand while he presses another kiss to her lips. When he flicks her nipples and teases her with his tongue, she squirms when she feels her desire pooling. He ends the kiss with a loud pop, and she groans in protest.

He then opens the canister, and dips his hand into the white substance. When he smears it across her chest, it feels like the silk robe that she splurged and bought when she got her first surveying job after opening her store front. Her breath catches, when he swipes again, this time, flour dusting her entire torso. "That feels—"

"Amazing?" he wonders.

"Weird," she answers. They share a look then watch each other crack up. Through the giggles, she says, "It feels good, but I think it's your turn now." And she tugs on his already dusty white t-shirt. She pulls it over his head, and for the first time she lets herself openly admire just how perfect he is to her. She trails her hands through the flour still clinging to her chest and returns the favor when she runs her hands over his pecks. He is at least six inches taller than her, but since she is perched on the table, she can look him in the eye. She swirls the flour around his nipples and loves how his breath hitches as she touches him. It seems like he can't stop himself when he steps in closer to her and she parts her legs to allow him to come even closer. His sweet Carolina blue eyes are looking at her and her tears start again when she sees his passion. She cups his face, and brings her lips to his.

How did she ever survive without his kisses for all these years? She wonders. He lets go of the table, and pulls her off, into his arms. She answers the movement with a squeak, and wraps her legs and arms around him to steady herself. She watches his eyes flash with desire and lust so raw it makes her tremble. "Where are we going?"

He goes up the stairs that lead to his apartment. "I want you in my bed."

She smiles.


	3. Chapter 3

Yay! I was going to try to get it all in this update, but you will see at the end that it's a natural stopping point. So there will be one more, and I have it figured out, I just have to write it. I'm also working on a brand new one! I'm still working on a title, but as of right now, it's going to be called The King and the Huntress. I wrote the first two chapters for camp nanowrimo and when I get the third one done, I'll start posting. I think you will like it… I hope anyway!

Thank you again for reading. It means a lot that you are here; you humble me. You are the reason I'm still doing this, well and stupid but wonderful songs like, "Come Over", by Kenny Chesney. Where Gary Allan was Peeta's voice during the break up in Twisted, Kenny's voice in "Come Over" is his, at least in this chapter.

And all my love and thanks to Norbertsmom. Think of her this week, please. She isn't feeling too good so hope for a quick recovery. And thanks to notanislander for encouraging me! And I don't own anything!

* * *

Katniss wakes up when she hears the heat in Peeta's apartment kick on. She keeps her eyes closed while she reaches across the sheets for him. Finding the other side of the bed cold, she finally opens her eyes to see that he is, indeed, gone.

She lays her arm across her eyes, fighting the tears that don't want to leave her alone. She knows that he had to go and start the ovens, but disappointment still washes over her in a bitter wave. She sits up and before she can set her feet on the floor, she notices two perfect, sugar dusted, chocolate filled doughnuts sitting on the night stand on the side of the bed she woke up on.

She shakes her head and stands. Finding her clothes folded neatly on his dresser, she grabs them and goes into his bathroom. She quickly dresses, and tries not to think. She doesn't want to think about how it felt when he touched her all over last night. She doesn't want to think about how he groaned her name when he came last night. She doesn't want to think about how he kissed her all over. She doesn't want to think about how tight he held her last night while they dozed off, exhausted but happy.

She comes back out of the bathroom, and grabs her bow case and her quiver. She looks at the doughnuts again and sighs in defeat when she goes down the stairs. She stops on the landing with a door on either side. One door will take her into the bakery where she can see Peeta and talk things out with him. The other door will take her outside. After a moment's deliberation, she reaches into her dad's old leather jacket and pulls out her cell. She quickly sends Peeta a text, feeling awful for taking the coward's way out, and opens the door that leads her out to the back of the bakery.

* * *

He hears his phone chime, but is talking to Mrs. Norton who can hardly hear him anymore when he tells her what she specials are, even though he has told her many times, she just will not read where he patiently wrote out that raisin and nut bread and bagels were the new additions this morning.

Right behind her, is one of the many teenage girls who have started coming in this year. They giggle while he or Vick takes their orders. Today he isn't in the mood for them, but suffers anyway since Vick won't be in until lunch.

He runs upstairs, an expectant smile on his face hoping to still find her there. He heads to his bedroom, and freezes in the doorway, when he sees rumpled sheets, and untouched doughnuts. His face falls, regret filling his heart. He pulls his phone from his back pocket and reads:

Katniss: I don't know what to say anymore, so I'm going home. I guess I'll see you later.

He leans against the doorway, defeated and heartbroken. He tries to call her but when the call goes straight to her voicemail, he thinks that she doesn't want to talk to him. Which is true because at the same moment, she is so deep in her woods that her phone doesn't work anyway.

* * *

Delly decorated the office in fall colors when the leaves first started turning. Now that Thanksgiving is just weeks away, she has added little turkeys to the leaves littering the office not that Katniss would ever admit it, but she likes it.

As she sits down at her desk on that Monday after Halloween, she is surprised when Delly follows her with a package. She can't stop the smile when she recognizes Prim's handwriting. She slides her scissors along the tape, and opens the box. In amongst the packing peanuts, is a note.

 _Katniss-_

 _I know I probably could have waited till I got home, but this was too perfect and after they offered me free shipping, well, I knew I just had to go ahead and send it._

 _We'll be home sooon,_

 _Prim and Rye_

Katniss digs through the bubble wrap and finds another box. She slowly pulls it out, tears that have been too easy lately prick her eyes. Inside is a Christmas ornament of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She smiles through the tears at the memory of when the movie first came out on video, she must have made everyone watch it at least ten times. She refuses to stop watching it and it ended up being her and Peeta watching the video. She smiles even more when she sees that it's from her favorite scene, when Belle is feeding the birds in the snow. Her brows furrow when she looks into the box for Beast. That's weird, she thinks. Beast should be part of this too since the birds are eating out of his hands.

She sets Belle beside her computer, and reaches for her phone. She shoots Prim a quick text, thanking her for the package, and asking when they were going to come home. She looks at the ornament again, wondering if Beast is indeed missing, and neither Prim nor Rye thought check the box when they bought it.

* * *

That same morning, Peeta is standing at the back door, signing for the deliveries when he notices a smaller box than what is in his normal order. He picks it up, and smiles when he recognizes Rye's handwriting. He tucks it under his arm and says, "Thanks again, Bristol. Don't forget your doughnut."

Bristol nods as he gets back into his truck, and Peeta watches him drive through the parking lot. Then he shuts the door behind him, picks up his mug of tea, and goes back to his office. He smiles wondering what Rye and Prim could have sent him. After sitting down, he quickly has his pocket knife out, cutting the tape. His note reads,

 _Hey baby bro-_

 _We saw this at Disney and picked it up for you. When the woman behind the counter said that it was free shipping, we decided to go ahead and ship it! We'll be home soon, I think._

 _Rye and Prim_

Peeta pulls out the huge bubble wrap, catching the small box before it hits his desk. When he sees the cover of the box, he opens it quickly. The figurine falls onto the palm of his hand. It's Beast for the movie, 'Beauty and the Beast' and he is feeding the birds in the snow. Peeta smiles fondly when he remembers that it's Katniss' favorite part of her favorite movie. That she made them all watch it over and over growing up. After the second time of rewinding the tape in the VCR his brothers and Prim all went off to play, leaving him and Katniss curled up on the couch. The two six year olds watched the movie two more times before Lily came in to turn it off. After that, Katniss would make him dance with her while she would sing:

Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly…

And his little six old heart, never stood a chance. It's a painful memory when he remembers how he told his dad that night that he was going to marry Katniss one day. He sets the Beast down on the shelf behind him, and sighs.

He jumps when his cell phone rings. He doesn't recognize the number, but he answers, "Hello?" anyway.

"Hello boy, this is Haymitch."

He runs his hand through his flour dusted curls. Why did he have to pick up the phone? "What can I do for you?"

"I called Sweetheart."

"She said that she talked to you."

Peeta doesn't hear the smile in Haymitch's voice when he asks, "When did you see her?"

Peeta clears his throat. "She helped with me here in the bakery, with the Halloween crowd. What happens now?"

He hears Haymitch sigh, "Are you sure you want this? I mean everyone knows—"

"What do you mean everyone knows? They know what?"

"Calm down, boy. They know what you two have been through. I've done too many divorces because the couple forgot how to be friends. This might be the perfect marriage because you are friends."

Peeta shakes his head, even though Haymitch can't see him. "She doesn't want this. She would have told me."

"Have you given her a chance? I know it's none of my business, but don't screw up a good friendship because you think you know what she does or does not want. She is a woman. Always ask," Haymitch says. "I can file separation papers then in a year, we can file for divorce."

Peeta looks at his clock above the office door and for a moment wonders if eleven a.m. is too early to start drinking. "If that is what she wants do to." he answers, not realizing how pitiful he sounds.

"Peeta talk to her, I mean really talk to her about this. Make sure this is what you both want," Haymitch urges him.

"Thank you, Haymitch."

He isn't sure how long he sits there after he hangs up, but he can't seem to stop the memories that are running through his head. It's not until Hazelle knocks on his door frame an hour later that he sees how long he's been sitting there.

She looks at him closely, and says, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just thinking. What's up?"

She comes in and sits down across from him. "Delly called me this morning wanting to have a reception for Prim and Rye at the bed and breakfast. Has she called you yet?"

He tries to keep his face neutral as he wonders why Katniss didn't call him. "Let me check—Vick! Come in here, please!"

Vick pokes his head around the doorway while Hazelle rolls her eyes at them. "Did Delly or Katniss call?"

He shrugs. "Delly did, I think. Hey Mom. Wiress might have talked to her." Then he disappears again.

Peeta picks up his phone and dials Katniss' number. "Let me just call Katniss."

"Everdeen Surveying," Delly answers.

"Hey Delly, it's Peeta."

"Hey! Did Vick tell you I called?"

"No, Hazelle did. Can I talk to Katniss?"

"Hang on," Delly tells him. "She is on the phone. Can I help you?"

He tries not to think about his heart sinking at Delly's words. "Why is this the first I'm hearing about a reception?"

"It was my idea actually. I talked to Hazelle, and we are going to have it there at the B and B, and I need you to cater it, is that ok?"

Peeta reaches for his legal pad that he uses to plan events on. "When is it?"

"Do we know when they are coming home yet?"

For the first time since Halloween he chuckles. "That I don't know. I'm thinking it might be next week. Is the reception a surprise?"

"Oh," Delly answers, a little unsure. "I don't know. Here comes Katniss—"

"Let me talk to her," he commands.

"Ok, here she is."

"Hello?" her honey voice calms his nerves in one breath.

"Hey," he softly replies. He doesn't notice the difference but Hazelle notices right away as he looks down and picks up a pen to start doodling. "Why didn't you take the doughnuts? I got up to fix them just for you."

"Peeta," she says, and he can hear the uncertainty in her voice as she whispers harshly, "I'm sorry. I don't know how to do this right now." Then she clears her throat. "Did you need me Peeta?"

His heart sinks. "Yeah, have you heard when Prim and Rye are coming home? We need to pin point a date…."

* * *

Katniss pulls up in her driveway, and smiles when she sees Max Patch laying there. Gale must be working late or over at Madge's house. Since Hazelle took over the bed and breakfast in town, she and Posy have moved in there, leaving Gale, Vick and Rory the house. Rory is off at state, and Vick works at the bakery while he figures out what he wants to do.

Max greets her with a happy pant and an easy tail wag when she gets out of the Jeep. She sits beside him on the porch step, he scoots close to her, lying his long collie nose in her lap. "Hello, old man. How are you?"

He answers her with a thumping tail and a grunt as she scratches his ears. "That good, huh?"

They both look up when a truck pulls up into the drive. She sighs, "Why is he here?"

By now, Max is up, and answers her with a soft, "woof" and greets Peeta as he walks up to them sitting on the porch step.

"Hello, Peeta." she greets, the tiredness she feels on this Monday telling in her words.

"Hello Max," he says, as the big old dog has left the porch and now bumps against his legs. "Hello, Katniss."

She still makes no move to get up when she asks, "Whatcha' doing?"

He shrugs, giving her a small, shy smile. "I wanted to see you."

The cold from the wood she is sitting on is seeping through her jeans and she shivers. "Do you want a cup of tea?" He nods and holds out his hand. She looks at it for a moment and then puts her in his. He tugs her up and she thinks her heart skips a beat when she looks into his eyes. Instead of saying the hundreds of things she really wants to say to him, she fits her key into the door, and lets them in.

She goes to the kitchen and she can hear his heavy footsteps behind her. She sits her stuff on the kitchen table and fills the kettle. She jumps a little when his hands settle on the sink, one on either side of her. She closes her eyes when she feels him stepping into her, and burying his nose in her hair. She turns the water off, and turns in his arms so she can see his eyes. The love and the want she sees there makes her knees go weak. She reaches up and cups his face, her eyes never leaving his. Neither one of them says anything as she runs her thumb over his lips and they both groan when he catches it his mouth and nips it gently.

She opens her mouth, wanting to say something, but before she can, his lips are there, claiming hers in her mama's kitchen like both of them dreamed about for years. She melts, they melt into each other as they claim one another.

When he pulls back, all he lets her squeak out is a weak, "We—" before he is scooping her up and taking her upstairs to her room. The hallway is dark, but he knows the way. He sets her down once he is inside, and she turns the lamp on. She feels so uncertain, and not for the first time in her life, she wishes she was a lot better with words. She looks down, and starts to undo the buttons on her blouse. His hands are there to help her finish. She finally dares to look up at him, and all she can see is blond curls as he focuses on her buttons.

She runs her fingers through those curls, those sweet curls that she grew up loving. He finishes the job and meets her eyes with his easy smile that makes her heart stutter. This time, with her fingers still in his hair, she pulls him to her. Still so very aware of her inexperience, she lightly presses a kiss to his lips. It's his tongue that teases her lips, until she opens up to him. She grows even bolder and she takes charge, coaxing his tongue into her mouth, then sucking on it until he groans that groan that makes her oh, so wet.

She pulls away and lightly pushes him onto the bed. He sits down on the edge, and she pushes him until he topples on over. She crawls on top of him, they still don't say anything, but when he tries to pull over on top of her, she stops him when she puts her hands on his chest. He looks at her questioning, but she crawls up beside him and starts unbuttoning his jeans instead.

She doesn't miss his wolfish smirk when she finally gets them undone. She tugs and he raises his hips so she can pull his jeans on down. She is somewhat surprised when she sees the blue flannel boxers that she got him last year for Christmas. She glances at him out of the corner of her eye, and is proud that she is causing the look of total awe on his face.

She tugs down the boxers and inhales quickly when his dick springs up. She bites her lower lip, wondering if she can really do what she has been thinking about, but not knowing if she would get a chance to try it.

She wraps her hand around the base, and without a second thought gives him a wet lick. It's him who breaks the silence when he says, "Oh fuck, Katniss."

She sneaks a glance at him, and he steals her breath by the way he is looking at her. His pupils are so dilated, his sweet Carolina blue eyes are almost black. She doesn't look away, but lowers herself to where she is face level with him again.

This time, she takes his head into her mouth, and swirls her tongue around it before she starts to gently suck.

"Katniss," he pants her name, which does something to her insides. "What are you doing?"

She lets go of him with a loud pop. "Do you want me to stop?" she asks, worried that she was hurting him.

He shakes his head. "Oh no. that feels amazing. You don't have to is what I'm trying to say."

"But I want to," she replies and takes him again in her mouth. His musky scent that she loves so much tickles her nose, making her even more ready for him. She takes him into her mouth too deep, coughing as she gags on his length.

He sits up and grabs her arms. "Are you ok?" he asks, as she tries to breath normally again. She nods and he kisses her on the nose before he flips her over onto her back. "We can work on that later, right now it's your turn."

"But I wasn't done—"

He kisses her quiet. "I will come if you keep on doing that, and there are things I've been thinking about doing to you all day long." He unclasps her bra in the front and eases it off of her slowly, like he does his birthday presents from her, like they are a precious gift. When he freezes for a long minute, she tries to cover herself back up and scoot out from under him. He stops her with a simple shake of his head and that damn easy smile. "You are so beautiful. Please don't hide from me."

She runs her fingers through those damn curls when he lowers his mouth to her breast. She arches into his mouth when he lazily runs his tongue all the way around it, but it's not until she pulls his hair, guiding him to her nipple that he finally starts sucking on it. Instead of finding relief she moans as her desire builds. He bites it gently, pulling it, then it's his turn to release it with a loud pop.

"Please," she gasps.

"What is it, Kitten? What do you want from me?" Even in their hormone driven minds at that moment, they both stop and think for maybe an instant of his double meaning. For Katniss, it's like a bucket of cold water is thrown over her and those damn rebellious tears are starting again. She goes to roll over, but he lays on top of her to keep her on the bed. "I didn't—"

She lets her head drop in defeat. "Please, kiss me."

He rolls her onto her back. He scoots back over her, and their lips meet helping them both forget for a little while longer that they really do belong to one another.

* * *

The alarm is too loud the next morning and too early. She reaches for the snooze button, but rolls into a naked chest instead. The night before comes rushing back, and she can't stop the silly little grin that is on her face. "Peeta, turn off the alarm."

He answers her with a grunt and pushes it off. Then his arms tighten around her, pulling her into him. "Good morning," he whispers against her hair.

"You're still here," she answers.

"I always slept better here. Its ok, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you know that. Do you have to go open the bakery?" she murmurs against him.

"I need to. Wiress is opening too." Katniss shivers from where his fingers are tracing invisible patterns against her back.

"Well, go then," she says with a smirk that he can't see.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" he asks with fake hurt.

"I usually sleep until seven, not five." She then pushes herself up, scowls at him before she turns her back on him and lays back down. "Lock the door behind you when you leave."

She wonders if he is going to take the bait when he jumps on her and starts tickling her. Breathless, she tries to wiggle away from him. "Peeta—" she almost screams, "Let me up, I need to pee."

In a move that she saw him use many times in high school and the same one he practiced on her, he flips her and then in a heartbeat, he straddles her waist pinning her down. She catches her breath, and they both realize that they are both still naked.

She can feel her embarrassed flush move up her chest until her entire face is burning and she doesn't miss that his face is bright pink too. She also doesn't miss his length growing hard along her stomach. She finally dares to look up to his Carolina blue eyes, and her heart skips a beat when she finally sees him looking at her the way she always dreamed about. "Peeta—"

"Shhh, Kitten," he hushes her. "I know there are things that we need to be talking about and not doing this," she is listening to his words, but she can't help but to notice how he is rubbing his length on her, and it feels so good. He leans down to claim her lips, in a wet, sloppy kiss. He must have used her mouthwash last night, because there is no tinge of morning breath. "—but, I can't stay away from you. Now that I've had you, I think I will crave you forever."

She blinks fast to keep the tears from falling. She doesn't know what to say to him, words were always his strength, not hers, but he saves her from saying anything when he kisses her tears away, and whispers, "Don't cry. It would break me if I knew I was hurting you."

She can't say anything now, so she pulls him down onto top of her and tangles her hands in his hair. She moans when his lips meet hers. She isn't sure who pushes or pulls who, but he finds his home deep inside of her core, and they make love, not until they both shout, but until the shudder gently together, getting lost in each other's eyes.

* * *

The rest of the week passes by with Katniss working way too late every evening on the property lines for the new condos on the other side of town, then she had to finish up the work for the Biltmore house. She let Delly finish the planning for Prim and Rye so she and Thom could do their own.

Peeta would text her throughout the day, and she would answer him when she could, but its Friday night and she is still at the office, by herself working, when there is a knock on her door. She jumps at the sudden sound, and opens her top drawer so she can see her daddy's old handgun. As soon as she looks through the glass, relief washes over her when she sees Peeta standing there with a pizza. She unlocks the deadbolt and lets him in.

"I drove by your house—"

She runs her hand over her braid, not ever remembering being this nervous around him. "I've been swamped. I was finishing up some paperwork… you brought pizza."

She can't help but to notice that he looks like a lost puppy when he says, "You didn't answer my texts today. I thought—"

"You texted? She steps back to her desk and looks for her phone. She picks it up and shows it to him. "The sound is turned off. See? I have missed calls and texts from Prim and Jo, too."

"So you aren't mad at me?" he asks and she can see that he is troubled about something.

"Honestly, Peeta, I've been working. Why would I be mad at you?"

He sets down the pizza on top of her papers, and runs his fingers through his already messy hair. Now that she sees it, she sees how he has been worrying it. He shrugs but still doesn't say anything, so she crosses silently to the kitchen in the corner of the little space and gets them some napkins and Pepsi's out of the refrigerator. When she comes back he has the box open and waits for her to pick her first slice before he gets his; just like he always has. She gets a slice but doesn't eat for a moment, but watches him instead. There is something bothering him, so she decides to just finally say something. "Peeta, what we have been doing since—"

He sighs, "I know—"

"No, Peeta, you don't know. You agree to go get married, then we have incredible sex, granted I was a virgin, but it was still pretty damn spectacular. Then you tell me that you want to get it annulled—" he doesn't even let her finish before he is standing up and grabbing his coat.

"I know that you didn't really want to get married!" his voice slowly getting louder. "I shouldn't have made love to you. That is what made all of this complicated."

"Peeta," she softly says fighting her sinking heart. "That's not what this is about—"

He shrugs it on and mutters, "I'm sorry I interrupted your work." And turns around and stomps out of the office leaving her sitting there confused as hell about what just happened. By the time she gets up and makes it to the door, he is pulling out of her parking lot.

She goes back to her desk and checks her messages while she cleans up and tries not to worry about what all of that was about. Prim says that they will be home soon, and Jo wonders how she is since they both have been so busy they haven't had time to catch up.

Katniss gathers up her stuff, turns out the lights, and locks up. It's not until she is home that she remembers that she left the pizza at work. Too tired to go back, she fixes herself a turkey sandwich, and settles in front of the TV. She wakes up several hours later when someone is knocking on her door. She briefly thinks about running upstairs but with it being this late, she supposes she should answer it.

It's not until she stands up and glances out the picture window and spots Peeta's truck that she breathes a sigh of frustration, and thinks about ignoring him too. "Katniss, I see the lights are on. Let me in, please."

She opens the door quickly, and she can clearly see relief on his face. "What, Peeta?"

He looks sheepish and looks down. "I came to apologize. I shouldn't have left like that."

She steps aside. "Come in." When he is in, she shuts and locks the door behind him. She waits until he turns around to face her to say, "No you shouldn't have run off like that."

He steps in front of her and his hands find her hips tugging her towards him. She brings up her hands to catch herself and she looks up at him through her lashes. He groans deep in his throat. Instead of kissing her like she expects him to, he watches her. She licks her lips nervously, and she feels like the prey by the way he is watching her. "We need to talk," she whispers.

He bends over, and nuzzles her neck. Her hands fist in his shirt. "Tomorrow. We'll talk tomorrow."

When he picks her up and heads for the stairs, she decides that talking tomorrow sounds like a good idea.

* * *

Warm arms tighten around her, holding her tight. She lets herself smile, knowing who is holding her. She might not have all the experience in the world, but she also feels his hardness pressing into her butt. She shifts and he moans in her ear. "Don't move."

She smirks, and says, "What like this?" as she rotated her hips, feeling his erection grind against her cheeks.

He chuckles in her ear and starts kissing her neck. Before she gets lost in the shivers of desire, she hears the front door open. Then the one voice she didn't expect to hear, "Katniss! Are you awake? Where is Peeta?"

"Is that?" he whispers.

She jumps out of the bed, whispering harshly, "Yes, oh fuck, it's Prim! That means—"

Rye's deep baritones drift up to them. "He must have passed out in your old bedroom."

Katniss grabs her panties and jerks them on, then grabs a hoodie lying across the dresser. She hears footsteps on the stairs and glances at Peeta who is still lying in the bed. She picks up his shirt and hits him in the face with it. "Get up," she hisses.

He looks hurt and she pulls on her boxers. "Are we going to tell them what we did? Are we going to be married now?"

She knows she hit a nerve when he won't meet her eyes. He gets up and pulls on his clothes. He looks like he wants to say something, but footsteps in the hallway prevents him from doing so.

Prim's excited face in is her doorway and she heads to Katniss like a bullet. The sisters hug for a moment and Katniss can hear Peeta and Rye greeting each other. When Prim lets her go, she heads to Peeta, while Rye comes and offers her a hug.

"What were you two doing? Sleeping together?" Rye asks.

Katniss looks panicked for a moment until Peeta says, "We were up late last night talking and fell asleep."

Prim smiles. "That's sweet. You two have always been best friends. I'm hungry. What do you have to eat?"

Katniss pokes her in the side. "You don't live here anymore. Go eat your own food," she teases.

Peeta speaks up, "I can go make something—"

Rye interrupts, "You mean Katniss has food? She hasn't been eating at the bakery all week?"

Katniss punches him in the arm. "Actually, I haven't had time for much except for work."

Prim links her arm through hers and tugs her towards the door. "Come on, I know you at least have the stuff you need for biscuits and gravy." She looks over her shoulder at her husband. "We'll make Rye make the biscuits and Peeta can make the gravy."

"But Prim, you know I make a better biscuit than Rye," Peeta whines.

Katniss doesn't see the boys scuffle in the hallway, but she hears them. Prim pulls her towards the stairs not letting her turn around. "Come and tell me what you've been doing."


	4. Chapter 4

Katniss rubs her temple trying to stop the headache that is trying to start. She knows that it's going to be a bad one when the numbers she is adding start to blur. Thankfully Delly comes into her office. "Hey—are you ok?" she asks.

Katniss shakes her head. "Do we have anything for a headache?"

"Yeah, be right back." In just a moment it seems, Delly is back handing her two ibuprofen and a glass of water. "It's almost three o'clock. I was going to go help Hazelle finish getting ready for the reception tonight. Why don't you go on home and rest? I know Prim and Rye both would be heartbroken if you couldn't make it tonight."

She looks at the papers scattered on her desk. "You know, I think I will. Do you need any help?"

Delly shakes her head. "Nope. Posy and Hazelle will be there, and I think Jo is going to come early too. You go home and rest. Just be there by six, we are going to eat by six-thirty."

Katniss grabs her purse, and gives her friend a quick hug. "Thank you for all of your hard work. I'll see you after while."

While she is on the way home, she realizes why she has such an awful headache and no amount of medicine is going to help it. She hasn't talked to Peeta since Prim and Rye came home a week ago. She has been working, he's been busy, and Prim is still moving her stuff out of the house, so when she is at home, the house is full of people. He hasn't called or texted her and the worry has been eating away at her.

She lets herself into her parent's old house, and for the first time in a week, it's empty. Rye had bought a house down the street from this house last year. While Prim helped him to remodel it, she didn't move in with him until this week. She didn't even move any of her things, since the elopement was a last minute decision.

The girls had to go through the furniture piece by piece, deciding who wanted what. One of the things that Prim insisted on was the dining room table their father had made so many years ago. Katniss didn't want to give it up, but it was either that, or the end tables throughout the house. Katniss decided that it would be easier to find a new kitchen table than end tables she actually liked. She walks into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of tea. She goes straight up to her room, tries not to think about how empty her house is, and how lonely she has been since her best friend is gone too. (Or won't talk to her)

* * *

Katniss pulls up into the parking lot of the B & B. The winter wonderland that Delly and Hazelle have created is amazing, and not for the first time she is so very glad that Delly volunteered to organize this evening for Prim and Rye. She parks her old Jeep in the almost filled up parking lot. Instead of getting out, she pulls down her visor so she can look in the mirror one last time.

She usually doesn't pay much attention to her make-up, usually only a dab of eye shadow and a swipe of mascara. But tonight, for some reason she felt like she needed to pull out the red dress that her old friend Cinna had made for her years ago. She met him in one of her math classes when she was going to college. She helped him with math he didn't understand and he, who was majoring in design, made her the breathtaking dress she is wearing now.

When you first look at it, it is a simple halter top dress that ends slightly above her knee. It is so red, that even Cinna would say that it would put the wicked stepmother's apple to shame. It's not until you get close that you notice the tiny crystals woven into the material. In low light, it looks like the dress in on fire. Even now, when Cinna shoots her an email, he still calls her "my girl who is on fire".

Katniss swept her hair into a twist that even now she is sure isn't going to last the night, but she decides to keep it up when she sees loose wispy curls that dust her face. She picks up her mama's grey shawl and wraps it around her shoulders to ward off the chilly fall night.

The porch of the inn is decorated with sparkling clear Christmas lights that wink at her as she climbs up the wide steps. They help to lift the weird mood she has been in this past week. She opens the antique, frosted-glass oak door, letting herself in. Everyone is busy talking to and around Rye and Prim so only Madge and Gale see her enter. She joins them by the antique fire place dominating the room.

"I love that dress on you, you should wear it more," Madge says.

Katniss chuckles for the first time in several days. "Where am I going to wear it? Out in the fields while I'm checking property lines?"

"Ha-ha, smart ass," Madge quips. "Seriously, you need to get out more. When is the last time you went out on a date?"

"I get out. Besides, I'm too busy to go out right now." The half-truth feels strange to her. Gale must not have told her about Gatlinburg.

"I know you've been busy. Delly was just talking about it. I also know how lonely an empty family home can be when you are the only one left," Madge says, and Katniss can hear the tinge of sadness in her voice from losing her own parents years ago.

Gale wraps his arm around Madge's shoulders. "Well, I'm here now." He gives Katniss a pointed look. "How are things?"

Madge looks from Gale to Katniss and then back to Gale again. "What are you talking about?"

Katniss sees Gale squeeze her friend, and can't help but to feel a little jealous. "Nothing really. Just some stuff Katniss needs to deal with. So have you?"

Katniss tries not to let the stress of the past week show on her face. "It's being taken care of."

She hates it when Gale raises his eyebrow at her. "What does that mean?"

Before she can reply, Prim joins their little group followed by Rue. She pulls her sister into a hug and Katniss tries not to think about how lonely she's been. "I'm glad that you're here and you are wearing that dress. You should really make Peeta take you out sometime in that," Prim gushes.

"Why do you say that?" She tries not to panic, but even she can hear it in her voice.

Prim huffs, "I just know how much fun you two have. Calm down, Sissy."

Katniss rolls her eyes at Prim and the others laugh at them. Its then that she looks up and his damn Carolina blue eyes find her across the old living room. She isn't sure what it is she sees in his eyes; she just knows that it hurts too much to keep on looking into his. She looks away and tries to pay attention to what her friends and family are saying, but she just can't. She whispers, "Excuse me." She goes looking for the bathroom that is at the top of the stairs.

As soon as she locks the door behind her, she lets out the breath she has been holding, and with it comes the tears she thought she had all cried out days ago. She blinks fast trying to get them to stop when she hears a soft knock on the door. She clears her throat and hopes that whoever is on the other side can't hear her sobs. "There is another bathroom down stairs. I'm going to be a couple of minutes."

Her heart stops when she hears, "Katniss? Can I come in?"

She opens the door and those same torture filled eyes that were just watching her every move downstairs are now staring into hers. Even after all the worry and anxiety from the past week, when her heart leaps, she knows that her love for him hasn't changed.

She steps back so he can come in and he relocks the door behind him. They just stand there looking at one another. She feels the familiar hunger that she has always felt for him, just now that she has had a taste of what being in his arms is like, she is starved for him constantly. He creeps into her thoughts when she is trying to calculate distances. He invades her memories and he hides in her dreams.

She turns from him, and looks at herself in the mirror. She wipes her tears, but doesn't turn around, instead meeting his eyes in the mirror. "What are you doing?"

Defeat is written across his face as he runs his fingers through his curls. He doesn't look away though. "I don't know anymore."

He turns back towards the door. "Wait. What are we going to do?"

He gives her a weak smile. "I'm going to go back down stairs and try not to think about how damn beautiful you are tonight." He releases a shuttering breath that shakes her to her core. She has never liked seeing or hearing him in pain. Tonight is no different.

She closes in the couple of steps that exist between them and reaches around him, pulling him close. She can feel him trembling, so she squeezes tighter and breathes a sign of relief when he pulls her close too. "Can we talk? After this, I mean. Like sit down and really talk?"

She can feel him laying his cheek on the top of her head and she loves how much deeper his voice sounds when it vibrates through his chest. "Yeah, we can do that. Will you sit beside me at dinner? I made your favorite."

She leans back so she can look at him. "You made my lamb stew?"

He gives her the smile that makes her melt. "I did." He lets go of her, and instantly she misses his warmth, but he holds out his hand, and she tucks hers into it. "Did you really have to go-?" he trails off.

She chuckles, "No, I just had to take a moment. I'm ready."

"Well, then, let's go." They leave the bathroom, and Peeta doesn't let go of her for the rest of the evening. They have done this before they got married, so no one really looks at them funny except for Haymitch and Gale. Katniss also notices Finnick looking at them puzzled but she doesn't think anything about it.

After they eat, and Prim and Rye open the several presents that friends have brought, Katniss pulls them aside. "I'm going to go ahead and go. I can feel my headache coming back."

Prim and Rye pull her into a group family hug. "I hope you feel better," Prim says.

It's Rye who sees Peeta walking by and reaches out to grab him. "Why don't you follow Katniss home? She isn't feeling well."

Concern fills his eyes. "You didn't tell me you were feeling bad."

She shrugs. "I was ok earlier, now it's coming back. You don't have to follow me."

"No, I don't mind. I'll worry about you if I don't. Let me go tell Delly," Peeta says. She watches him walk away.

Rye sighs, "He cares about you so much."

Katniss whips her head around. "What did you say?"

Rye looks at her sheepishly. "Oh, nothing." He presses a kiss to Prim's temple, and not for the first time, Katniss is mad that they get to touch and kiss each other whenever they want to. "I'll be right back."

She watches Prim watching Rye walk away. "I'm going to go ahead to my Jeep. Will you tell Peeta where I'm at?"

Prim nods and throws her arms around her neck. "I'm sorry that you feel bad. Thank you for doing all this."

She nods as Prim steps back. "It was all Delly. Then she got Peeta and Hazelle to help, but I'm glad that she asked to do it. I never could have come up with anything like this."

"Well, you let her do it. I'll tell Peeta where you are."

Katniss pulls her shawl tighter around her shoulders and head out onto the porch. The cool air helps the headache that is starting to come back. She takes a deep breath of the now chilly air, and enjoys the crispness in her lungs. She goes on to her Jeep, fumbling for her keys. She drops them before she can put them in the lock and softly swears, "Damn it." and bends over to fetch them.

Before she has a chance to fetch the keys, there is a flash of blond hair beating her to it. Peeta straightens up, flushed from his hurry and hands them back to her. She takes them from him and softly says, "Thank you."

She flushes under his scrutiny, and reaches for her door, but he stops her before she gets in. "Let me drive you home."

"What about your truck?"

He pats his pockets getting out his keys. "Prim or Rye can drive it to your house. Get in, and get warm. I'll be right back."

She watches him disappear back into the house. By now, her headache is bad, worse than she has ever experienced one before. She closes her eyes, and lays her head back against the seat, taking deep breaths. It takes a long moment for her to decide that the cold isn't helping her at all, so she tries to sit up and start the Jeep, but she feels too weak to move.

She fumbles for the keys that are lost somewhere in the folds of her skirt, when all of a sudden a warm hand stills hers. She peeks out from heavy lids to see those damn curls that need trimming. "I feel so bad, Peeta."

His worried eyes meet hers and he gently, oh so lightly cups her cheek and presses a feather light kiss to her lips. "Let's get you home." He starts the Jeep, and his right hand returns to hers. She clings to it while he drives and he doesn't let her go. She can feel the Jeep pulling out onto the road, and he asks, "Why are you feeling so bad?"

Her eyes are still closed while her other hand tries to rub her forehead. She has a nagging suspicion why she feels bad, but she isn't going to tell him. So instead she offers, "I don't know. It might be my mold allergy or something like that. You know, since the leaves are now rotting."

"Prim and Rye are following us—"

Her moan interrupts him. "They don't have to do that. Just take me home and let me go to bed."

He squeezes her fingers. "I think Prim is worried about you, and Rye was ready to leave." He pulls his hand loose and she can feel the Jeep turning. He turns it off and says, "Don't move."

He gently shuts the door behind him, and she feels hers moving. She opens her eyes to see her husband waiting for her. She puts her hand in his and he helps her out. She stumbles against him, and without a word, he sweeps her up into his arms. She sighs gratefully against him.

She hears Prim ask, "Is she that bad?"

"I think she might be overtired. Can you get the door?" Peeta asks, as she tries not to be that obvious as she snuggles into his chest.

They all walk into the house and she can hear Prim's 'nurse's voice' as she takes charge. "Peeta, take her up to her room. Then I'll see what she has here—"

Katniss interrupts, "I'm still awake."

"Do you think heat or ice would help your head more?" Prim asks as she rubs her arm. Katniss opens her eyes to see her sister and Rye looking at her with concern in their eyes.

"I don't know. You all can leave. I'm just going to go to bed. Let me down Peeta." He slowly sets her down, and she stumbles again. This time when he swoops her back into his arms, he heads for the stairs and Prim disappears into the kitchen. "I can walk," she protests.

He chuckles, "I don't think you can. It might be those shoes though."

She turns on the overhead light for them when he pauses inside of her bedroom door. Then he sets her down on the bed. She lifts up her foot and looks at her shoe. The heel is much higher than her boot heel or the ballet flat she would sometimes wear if she didn't wear her boots. "You are probably right. I'm not meant to wear heels."

He kneels in front of her and takes that same foot in his lap. He runs his hands up and down her calf producing goose bumps as he goes, before he finds the buckle that holds the black criss-cross straps together. Her breath comes out in a shudder when he barely touches her to ease her shoe off. Then he gives her a light foot rub before he picks up her other foot.

She can feel his hands begin his treatment to her other leg but he stops when they hear Prim and Rye coming up the stairs. Instead of bouncing in like she normally would, they enter quietly. "How are you feeling?" Prim asks.

"I'll be ok. You guys don't have to stay. I can take care of myself," Katniss says.

Peeta stands up and offers, "I'll stay with her. You two go on home."

She meets his eyes, and not for the first time she can't read what she sees there. What bothers her is that it's getting more and more frequent that she can't read her best friend anymore and that makes her head hurt even more.

"Are you sure?" Rye asks. "We can stay."

Peeta nods his head. "Go ahead. I mean you two are just down the road. I'll call you if something happens."

Prim looks at the two of them, and then hands Peeta the bundle she is holding. "Well, call me then." She gives Katniss another hug and whispers, "It seems that he wants to take care of you. Is that ok? Or do you want me to make Peeta leave?"

Katniss pats her shoulder. "It's ok. We'll be alright."

Prim straightens up. "Ok, then. Come on Rye."

Rye looks at the both of them funny and then follows his wife out the door. Peeta says, "I'll be right back." And follows them out the door. She takes a deep breath and stands slowly now that her shoes are off. She sluggishly walks into the bathroom and takes off her dress.

She starts the shower, and peels off her bra and panties. When the water is perfect, she steps into the relaxing heat and what feels like for the first time in a week, she exhales, willing herself to relax. She doesn't know how long she stands there, but the curtain moving scares her, making her jump.

Peeta's anxious face peeks around and she can feel his eyes looking her over, but it's with worry that he examines her. "Can I get in too?" She scowls at him and before she can reply, he says, "I just want to make you feel good."

She mutely nods and in just a moment, he is naked too, joining her in the shower. "Peeta," she begins, "I don't feel like—"

He presses a lingering kiss to her lips, stopping her from saying anything else. "I don't want that right now." He reaches for her body wash and squeezes some into his hand. rubbing his hands together, he softly commands, "turn around." when she does, he starts massaging her shoulders when he starts working on her spine, she can feel the pain in her head starting to ease up.

He kneads down to her bottom, and it makes her smile when he kneads her buns. "Is this how you make your bread feel?" she giggles.

He turns her around and kisses her on the nose pulling her into him. "It could be. That might be why it always rises for me."

They chuckle together. She says, "That was bad."

He sighs, "I know, but it's the truth." He steps away from her and pushes her against the wall of the shower and gets some more soap. He starts at her shoulders again and massages down her front. She feels like she is going to melt, especially when he circles her breasts and then pinches her nipples making her weak in the knees. Her breath gets heavy when he rubs down her rib cage to the flair of her hips. He teases her when his hands go to her hips instead of where she really wants him.

"You did it," she says.

"I did what?"

"You made me feel good."

He smirks at her. "And to think, I'm not done yet."

She barely has time to ask, "You're not?" when he drops to his knees in front of her. He eases up her leg, so he can massage it also. She moans with his caress, as his hands continue up to her knee. She lays her head back against the wall, and relaxes even more into his touch. She doesn't miss when he starts kissing her inner thigh. She feels his lips against her, and looks down at his curls. She runs her fingers through them and he looks up at her.

"Can I kiss you? Here?" he asks as he runs a finger through her folds.

She nods, and her knees buckle when he runs his tongue over her center. She feels her knees buckle as he catches her and she tightens her grip in his hair. He chuckles against her, sending delightful vibrations through her core. "Maybe we should move this to the bed?"

He eases her foot down and stands up beside her. She has never been able to tell him no, and this time, it isn't any different. She nods and he grabs the hand-held shower head. He rinses them both off quickly but leaves the water running for a moment longer. He kisses her nose and cups her cheek while looking into her eyes. She isn't sure what he is looking for, but she knows he must have found it, when he gives her his easy smile. "Let me dry off, and then I'll help you, ok?"

"But—" he silences her when he hushes her by putting a finger over her lips.

"Let me help you." He disappears on the other side of the curtain. She hears him drying off and then he opens the curtain. She thinks he must still be naked, until she spies the towel slung around his hips and he holds one open for her. She reaches down, turns off the water and then steps into his arms.

He pats some of her, while he briskly rubs other parts giving her another all over massage. He asks, "How is your headache?"

She gives him a grateful smile. "It's almost gone. Thank you."

He wraps her in the towel and guides her to her bed. It's already turned down, waiting for her. She starts to sit down, but he stops her. He turns her around so that she is facing him, and he eases the towel from around her, and finishes drying her off. He turns to walk into the bathroom to put the towel up, and she looks for the t-shirt she has been wearing to bed. However, Peeta is back before she has a chance to reach it.

"What are you doing?" he murmurs.

All of a sudden, she is nervous and tries to fold her arms over her naked breasts as she shrugs. "Looking for my t-shirt?"

He reaches out and oh-so-gently grips her elbows, pulling her to him as he pulls her hands away from covering herself. He reaches up to finger a lock of her chestnut colored hair that is falling over her shoulder. She looks up to his eyes, but he won't meet hers. When he finally does, she can see the heartbreak in his eyes. "I just can't leave you alone, Katniss. I try, but I can't. What are we going to do, Kitten?"

She doesn't try to stop her tears when they come to her eyes. He finally looks into hers. This time, both hands come up and cup her cheeks, and his thumbs wipe her tears away as she watches his. Her hands come up to caress his hands. She even turns her head, so she can kiss his palm. Through her tears, she chokes out, "Stay with me?"

Tears run down his face when he replies, "Always." She tugs him to her, and claims his lips. She might not be good at words like he is, but in that kiss, she pours out everything she can't say, she tells him how much she loves him, she promises him her future. He returns her kisses with what feels like everything he is.

She pulls away for just a moment so she can back up till the back of her legs hit her bed. She sits down and tugs him with her as she scoots back. He hesitates but only until she says, "Make love to me?"

"I've never been able to tell you no," he echoes her thoughts as he crawls over her. Her legs part, welcoming him as she wraps her arms around his neck, cradling him to her. She feels his hardness pausing at her entrance, and he stills looking into her face as if he is asking permission. She answers his silent question with a wet kiss to his lips and she lifts her hips, angling herself so he can enter her. He slides in easily while he hits every nerve in her core.

He is still, so she grinds her hips against his, making him moan. He lifts himself up so that his weight is balanced on his arms instead of her and then it's his turn to grind against her, reminding her body how he makes her feel.

It take a long moment, but they come together while they cling to one another. Then, Peeta falls to his side, wraps her in his arms, and they both fall asleep for the first time in a week because they are exactly where they want to be.

* * *

She does not want to wake up. She is too warm, too cozy, too, well everything. She doesn't want to move, but her bladder is demanding that she move soon. She slowly scoots out from under Peeta's arm and quickly goes to the bathroom.

She shivers against the chilly morning and hurries back to bed, where, for once, he is still there. He watches her climb back in and he tucks her back to her place beside him. They stay like that for several silent minutes before he says, "Katniss-"

She rolls over in his arms, interrupting him. "Shhh," she hushes him with a finger over his lips. Then she takes that hand and trails it down to his morning hardness that she felt against her hip just a moment ago. She isn't sure what makes her say, "I'm not done with you, yet." He doesn't protest when she pushes him onto his back and climbs back on top of him. As she pushes him into her deepest parts and watches him come apart under her, she can't help but to wonder what is going to happen to them.

* * *

Peeta leaves her the next day, which is Saturday, like he normally did on a morning after, but she hasn't heard from him since. Ever since she was sixteen, she would be in the bakery helping with the Thanksgiving orders and had scheduled for the entire week of Thanksgiving off to help, months before they ever went to Gatlinburg.

Sunday night she gets a text from Peeta telling her that he had plenty of help this year. She had never broken up with a guy before, but after that text, she guesses that is how it feels.

Monday, she is unable to get out of the bed. She cries all day, a slow, eyes can't stop leaking cry. She only remembers getting up to go to the bathroom. The rest of the time, she thinks about what is going on with her and Peeta. No matter how hard she tries, she can't think of a way out of this mess, which leads to more tears.

She thinks she sleeps, because she wakes up to the sun pouring into her room, and her phone ringing. She finally finds it, answering it to Jo asking, "Brainless! Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"Well for one, you sound hung over. Then you said you would be here and you aren't."

She thinks for a long minute but draws a blank. "What are you talking about?"

"We are at the B & B helping Hazelle get ready for Thursday. You said you would be here. So where in the hell are you?"

She finally finds her clock and sees that it's eleven. "Let me get in the shower and I'll be there."

She hangs up her phone, even though she can hear Jo asking her why she is still in the bed at eleven. She closes her eyes, willing herself to get up and when she finally does, plenty of her muscles protest from not moving much the day before. She stands up anyway and heads for her shower.

She steps into the hot stream and lets the pressure beat her tired muscles. Until she feels like opening her eyes and looking around. Images from the last shower with Peeta invade her mind and she wonders how hard it would be to redo the bathroom. Or she could just move into Prim's shower. After all, it's only her house now. Those thoughts don't help her depression, but she can't seem to corral them now.

She hurries; the walls of the shower pressing in on her. Quicker than she normally would, she is dressed, her hair is in its familiar braid and she is out the door, just needing to get out of the house.

* * *

"Hey Peeta!" Vick calls him from the front of the bakery.

He tries not to sound as tired and frustrated as he feels when he answers, "What?"

"When is Katniss going to be here?"

Not for the first time since Sunday night, guilt floods him. "She isn't coming this year to help." Even he can hear how defeated he sounds as he rearranges more stuff in the pantry.

"What do you mean she isn't coming this year? She closed her office to come and help." Vick says as he steps into the storage room.

Peeta looks over his shoulder at his helper. "We have enough help. Didn't Wiress show up yet?"

Vick sighs and Peeta can hear his frustration. "She just got here, but she doesn't know the pies like we do." Vick runs his hand through his messy raven waves in a move he picked up from Peeta. "We have a hundred pies to finish between now and Wednesday evening. Whatever you think. Hell, if nothing else, call Rye."

"You know, that isn't a bad idea," Peeta says as he picks up his phone, dialing his brother's number. It starts to ring, but he has to look around when he hears a ringing behind him in the kitchen. He walks out and runs right into Rye. "What are you doing here?" he asks as he slaps him on the back.

"I stopped to get your old cornbread so Prim can make dressing for Thursday. Where is Katniss?"

He chooses to ignore Rye's question. "What else do you have to do today?"

Rye shrugs. "I have the rest of the week off," he looks at the chaos in the kitchen. "Do you need some help?"

Peeta nods. "I do. If we make the pies with Vick's help and send Wiress up front, I bet we can get these done and ready for the oven."

Rye looks down at his street clothes. "Can I?"

Peeta smiles in relief. "Yeah, let's run upstairs and I'll find you some clothes. Hey, Vick, we'll be right back." The brothers run upstairs when Vick raises up his hand, indicating that he heard Peeta.

Once upstairs, Peeta quickly grabs a change of clothes for Rye, and waits in his little kitchen while Rye changes. When Rye rejoins him, Peeta starts for the door, but Rye stops him. "Wait a minute. Can I ask you something?"

Peeta turns back around and shrugs. "Sure. What is it?"

"Did something happen between you and Katniss? The both of you have been acting funny since we got back from Tennessee."

"How do you know? You've been gone since we got back."

"Calm down baby brother. Prim mentioned that Katniss has been acting funny is all. Besides it's wouldn't be a bad thing if it did."

Peeta freezes, sure that Rye can hear how his heart is beating out of his chest. He clears his throat. "Why would you say that?"

Rye chuckles, "Because she is your lobster, dude!"

Peeta looks at him confused then he remembers. "Rye, lobsters aren't actually monogamous."

Rye looks a little sad and disappointed when he asks, "They aren't?"

Peeta shakes his head at his brother. "Nope. Eagles are and even termites and barn owls, but not lobsters."

Rye chuckles, "Katniss reminds me more of an eagle or even a mockingjay. Are you sure nothing happened?"

For a fleeing moment, Peeta thinks about telling him, then he changes his mind. He started all this, he needs to take care of it. "Nothing happened. Come on, we need to get those pies done!"

* * *

Katniss lets herself in the kitchen door of the B &B and the giggles of her friends welcome her, soothing her heart. "There she is!"

"It's about time, Brainless," Jo quips from the sink.

Katniss, soaking up the positive energy from her friends, rolls her eyes at Jo. "Well, I'm here now. What are you doing?" she asks as she takes off her dad's hunting jacket and puts it on the back of one of the chairs, then joins Jo at the sink. She can't help but to chuckle when she sees the five turkeys in the sink.

"Hazelle wants to bake two, fry one, grill another one and then I'm still not sure what she is doing with the fifth one."

Madge calls out, "She wants to put that one in the slow cooker!"

"So we have to get the brine ready and all that." Katniss doesn't miss the way Jo is looking at her. "Are you ok?"

Katniss shrugs but won't meet her eyes. "Yeah, just tired is all. Why?"

"You've been acting weird since Prim got married. Oh I know, you miss her, don't you? When you do that, call me. We can hang out."

She looks up to see one of her oldest friends looking at her with concern in her eyes. She almost tells her, when Madge comes back with Hazelle following her. Hazelle, always mothering everyone, comes over for her hug from Katniss.

Katniss sighs into her embrace, missing her own mother in that moment. Hazelle steps back and cups Katniss' cheeks so she can look at her closely. "What's wrong dear?"

Katniss blinks away the tears, so tired of crying. "It's just been a bad month."

Hazelle pulls her back in for another hug, whispering, "I'm here when you need me. You know your mother and I always promised each other that we would watch over one another's children if anything ever happened. You might be all grown up, but I'm still watching over you."

Katniss kisses her on the cheek. "Love you, Hazelle."

Hazelle leans back so she can look at her again. "Love you, too. Now, let's gets ready for Thanksgiving!"

Kpkpkpkp

Thanksgiving morning, the sun is starting to peek over Cold Mountain as she pulls into the B&B parking lot. She sits there for a moment to watch as it turns what is left over from the dark into light. For some strange reason, she knows that everything is going to be ok.

She grabs her mother's favorite wooden spoon and her purse. As she walks through the parking lot, she sees Jo's car and Gale's truck but when she goes in, Hazelle is the only one sitting at the table drinking her coffee. She greets, "Good morning, dear."

Katniss sits down across from her. Since the wreck, she hasn't really done anything with her parent's things, but she knows that this is just a small gift, and she will probably be bringing more. She pushes the spoon towards Hazelle and smiles when the she grins. "Lily's spoon! I remember when Jack carved this for her."

"Dad carved that?"

Hazelle nods. "He did. She wanted a spoon this size but couldn't ever find one. So one day he came in with this piece of oak, and carved it out for her." She pushes it back towards Katniss. "Are you sure you want me to have it?"

She nods. "I do. It's just me now, and I don't cook as much as you do—"

"Oh, sweetie," she says as she reaches out to pat her hands. "You won't be alone for long." She chuckles, "you know, Peeta used to tell me all the time that he was going to marry you one day."

"What are you talking about?" she asks.

"When all of you kids would get together and play," she chuckles. "He would boss you around and you would get madder than an old wet hen. Then you would do what he said anyway. Then Peeta, who was only five or six, would come over to me or Lily and tell us that you were going to marry him one day cause he was the only one who would stay with you and watch "Beauty and the Beast" with you."

Katniss looks down at the worn out table and runs her fingers along the grooves, not sure what to think. "I don't remember that," she mutters.

"You wouldn't have. He always made sure you were never around to hear him and now look, it's Prim and Rye who are married instead." Hazelle gets up to take her cup to the sink and Katniss stays at the table, her mind racing over the past month. The more she thinks about how he's been acting, the more mad she gets. Hazelle breaks into her thoughts. "Katniss? Can you make rolls for us, dear? Peeta was really busy this week at the bakery and I forgot to ask him to bring us some."

Katniss tries not to snort when she hears that. She stands and walks to the sink instead. "Yeah, I don't mind. Do you want Graham's yeast rolls?"

Hazelle smiles and Katniss can tell that this is just what she wanted to hear. "That sounds wonderful. My kitchen is yours."

During the course of the morning, in an effort to keep from thinking too much- she bakes the rolls, helps Prim to put the finishing touches on their Mama's cornbread dressing, peels the potatoes, and fixes the deviled eggs. Jo and Madge, along with Gale, take care of the turkeys.

Katniss stays in the kitchen, finishing up when she hears everyone start to arrive. Madge comes in from the grill and Katniss asks, "How many people are out there?"

"I think Hazelle invited everyone she thought might be alone this year for the holiday."

Katniss smiles into the pan of gravy she is stirring. "That sounds just like her."

Madge stops. "It does."

Hazelle pokes her head into the kitchen. "Let's start bringing the food out. I think everyone is here."

Madge grabs a plate of the eggs and follows her out through the swinging door. Katniss reaches for a bowl to put the gravy in when the door swings open again. She doesn't even look up when she says, "The gravy is ready Madge—"

"Hey Katniss," she hears Peeta say. "I was looking for Finnick—"

Her stomach does a complete flip-flop, but she is tired of staying quiet about this. "I need to talk to you."

His eyes dart around the kitchen like a cornered rabbit looking for a way out. She doesn't want to lose him, but she also can't continue what they are doing. She will never survive. "I've got to go—" he says as he turns away from her and pushes the door open.

She can feel the top of her head getting hot and her ears are ringing-she is so pissed off. She grabs the first thing she can get her hands on, the yeast rolls she literally just took out of the oven and throws one at his head. It hits him with a satisfying thunk.

He whirls around, with surprise on his face. She is still so mad that she throws another roll at him, this one hitting him square on the nose. He brings his hand up and pulls it away with a tinge of blood on his fingers. "Damn, Katniss. Why did you do that?"

"Because I'm tired of you ignoring me!" she says, nearly shouting.

"I don't ignore you. We'll talk about this later. I've got to find Finnick—"

"Damn it, Peeta!" She growls as he turns back to the door. She quickly covers the couple of steps it takes to reach him and she, for the first time in her life grabs him, twirling him around. This time, he is shocked and somewhere it registers in her mind, but she is so angry, it's like a flood gate is open and she can't stop it. "You have always told me what is and isn't good for me and for the most part, you have been right." Her voice is slowly getting louder, but she doesn't care anymore, "but not when it comes to this. We are married! I am your wife and you are my husband!" She wipes her eyes when the angry tears start. "I know that I wasn't completely sober when we went to the chapel, but damn it! When I have ever done anything I didn't want to do?"

He starts to open his mouth, and she doesn't notice their family and friends start to trail into the kitchen. She is angry enough that she grabs his shirt, and even though he is at least six inches taller than her, and easily outweighs her, she still manages to shake him. Not as hard as she would really like to, but she needs to get his attention. "I've wanted you for so damn long, but then you tell me that I don't? Peeta, why do you think I never had a boyfriend? Why do you think I never dated anyone more than two dates? Because they weren't you! You are all I've ever wanted," she finishes with a sob. "If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you don't want me, that you don't want me to be your wife- then I'm sure we can speed up the divorce, somehow."

She lets go of his shirt and drops her hands. Her heart starts to break in his too-long silence. She drops her gaze and starts to turn away when his almost pained whisper stops her, "You want me?"

She whips back around, and her eyes fly back to his face. She walks back to him where he is looking at her with the only thing she can describe as awe. She cups his cheeks with both of her hands and pulls him down to her, running her thumb over his beautiful lips. She nods. "I do, Peeta. It's always been you."

Before she has a chance to do anything, he has her in his arms, wrapping around her so tight. His lips find hers bruising them as he claims her as his. She feels wetness on her cheeks, but it's not until she opens her eyes, that she sees that it's a mixture of both of their tears.

"I love you," he murmurs as he rests his forehead against hers.

"I love you," she whispers against his lips before she kisses him again.

They are on the way to getting lost in each other, when someone clearing their throat behind them gets their attention. They pull away from each other, but they don't let go. They look up to a smirking Haymitch and the rest of their friends and families watching them. Haymitch asks, "Does this mean that I can tear up the separation papers?"

She looks at Peeta again and is overwhelmed by the love she sees shining there. He asks, "Well Mrs. Mellark, should we try this? Will you be my bride?"

She smiles amidst her tears. "I will."

He lowers his head again to kiss her, but before he does, Jo says, "Can someone, please tell me what in the hell is going on? When did they get married? Why were they wanting to get a divorce? Did they know they were in love with each other all this time?"

Peeta chuckles and answers Jo, but keeps his eyes on Katniss. "I thought it was just another drunk night with my best friend, then she gets the idea to go get married, so we did. I knew that I loved her, I just didn't think –"

"That I love you back. Oh, Peeta!" She whispers, "Do you believe me now?"

He nods while he gives her the biggest grin she has ever seen on his face. He claims her lips in another kiss, while their friends and family look on.

* * *

I hope you liked it! This was a fun story to write for you! Thank you to everyone who commented, who waits patiently (or impatiently lol…) for updates, and not just from me. You are who makes this fun! Thank you!

I need to thank sohypothetically and Norbertsmom for their encouragement, plot-figuring-out power, and comma wrangling. Thank you friends! And then to notanislander for not so quietly asking for more of apple pie, and for being so excited to read what I sent her. And my lovely pumpking. Thank you!

And now, to finish the King and the Huntress… and maybe another one shot for twisted?


End file.
